The St. Joseph Dept. of Public Safety is warning citizens of an active phone scam.
Police say the caller claims to be a friend or relative in need of money to be bailed out of jail or another similar life obstacle. In certain cases, the caller will place their "attorney" on the phone line to substantiate the cold call request.
"If the caller claims to be your relative, then call that relative using your own contact information, not the information provided by the caller," Public Safety Director Mark Clapp said.
Clapp suggests citizens ask the caller who they are and recommends residents not offer any personal information, like contact or financial numbers, under any circumstances.
"They will most often respond with a very common name, like Michael. Typically, the caller will hang-up once they realizes you suspect the call is a scam," Clapp added.
If you believe you are a victim of this phone scam, contact your local police department.
