New Text Scam Circulating, Police Say

SUFFIELD, CT — The Suffield Police Department is warning residents about a cell phone scam after a suspicious text message was sent directly to a department phone.

Police said the message came from a number beginning with “+63,” the international country code for the Philippines. Officials said that detail alone is a strong indicator that the message is fraudulent.

According to the department, scammers frequently use international numbers to disguise their location and attempt to trick recipients into responding or providing personal information.

Officers emphasized that Connecticut DMV operations are not outsourced overseas and said residents should be skeptical of any message suggesting otherwise.

Police say checking the country code at the start of a phone number can be a quick way to identify a potential scam. In the United States, phone numbers begin with the country code “+1.”

Residents are advised not to engage with suspicious messages or respond to texts coming from unfamiliar international numbers. If a message appears questionable, police recommend deleting it and avoiding any links or requests for information.