Spoof Calls Mimic Cleveland Heights City Number

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Residents in Cleveland Heights have reported getting spoofed calls from a number mimicking the Cleveland Heights City phone number. These spoofed calls can frequently be used by telemarketers and scam artists to trick people into giving away valuable, personal information.

The city's police department said on its Facebook that several residents have gotten calls from a number that appears to be 216-291-3871, the non-emergency police phone number. A cell phone may even read that number and identify it as coming from the "City of Cleveland Heights."

Here's the problem: some scammers are able to spoof numbers. "Spoofing" occurs when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity," the Federal Communications Commission said. "Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally. U.S. law and FCC rules prohibit most types of spoofing."

The FCC suggests that if you are, at all, suspicious that the person you're talking to is not who they claim to be, do not give away any of your personal information. Be particularly cautious if the caller is pressuring you to tell them your information immediately.

"If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency seeking personal information, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement, in the phone book or on the company's or government agency's website to verify the authenticity of the request," the FCC recommended.

Additionally, set up a password for your phone's voicemail account. Spoofers may be able to access your voicemail by mimicking your phone number. Unprotected voicemail accounts could be open to these phone-based hackers.

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