The FBI is warning citizens to be on alert for a phone scam that is targeting individuals while displaying the FBI’s telephone number on the recipient’s caller ID.

The FBI has received multiple calls complaining of a phone scam involving someone claiming to represent the U.S. government or even claiming to be FBI agents. In those cases, the caller advised the citizen of delinquent student loans or dues, delinquent taxes, or even overdue parking tickets. On occasion, the caller even threatens arrest. The scam artists are requesting the fees immediately being paid.

During each attempt to gain personally identifiable information from the recipient, the caller claims to have specific personal information. In addition, the originating telephone number used by the scammer is displayed or “spoofed” as that of the telephone number of an FBI field office.

The public is reminded that the FBI does not call private citizens requesting money and to never give out unsolicited requests for personal information to callers that you don’t know. Individuals receiving such calls can file a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.