METAMORA, Ill. — The Illinois State Police is warning the community of a phone scam that has been circling District 8.
Public Information Officer Haylie Polistina said the phone number being used to call citizens is the ISP District 8 non-emergency number, (309) 383-2133.
“They’re trusting that the caller I.D. is right, and they pick up the phone but it turns out it’s a scam,” Polistina said. “These scammers can make their phone number look like any other number, and unfortunately they are using our phone number.”
The scammers who call do not have the same story, but the same goal, to get money or personal information or money from who they are calling.
“If they have a family member they are saying that they are in jail and they need them to come bail them out. We don’t have a jail at our headquarters so that is false,” Polistina said.
Another story the scammers are telling the public in the phone calls is that they will be sued by police because they’re identity has been stolen and who stole their identify is spending tons of money or writing bad checks.
“Or that they had a rental car and there was drugs that were found in the rental car,” Polistina said.
The Illinois State Police will never call citizens and say that they owe money.
Polistina said to not give out any personal information and to hang up the phone if they believe it is a scam call.
“If you need to report a scam or you feel that you have been scammed, you can call the Office of the Attorney General, (800) 243-0618.
