The Ohio Department of Public Safety said in a release Friday that they have received reports of a possible scam being perpetrated on Ohioans from scammers claiming to be from Ohio Homeland Security (OHS).
Ohio residents have reported that the scammers inform the call recipients that their identity had been stolen, according to the release.
The Caller ID on these calls falsely indicate the calls originated from the OHS main line (614-387-6171).
The Ohio Homeland Security main line was actually spoofed, which is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.
“If you receive these calls, don’t fall for this scam,” said Ohio Homeland Security Executive Director Brian Quinn. “Hang up immediately and report it to either your local law enforcement or the Statewide Terrorism Analysis and Crime Center (STACC) at 1-877-647-4683.”
According to the release, Ohio Homeland Security does not investigate personal identity theft and would not make these kinds of phone calls to Ohio residents.
The release provided the following tips to avoid falling victim to scams:
- Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry.
- Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package.
- Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
- Be cautious of caller ID.
Cox Media Group
