Massachusetts State Police Issue New Phone Scam Alert

Massachusetts State Police have issued an alert regarding a new phone scam that has been going around.

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Massachusetts State Police Recently Shared the Alert on Social Media

Massachusetts State Police recently posted the alert to the law enforcement agency's  Facebook Page as the state police Boston Barracks received approximately 100 phone calls reporting suspicious activity as part of the phone scam.

READ MORE: Western Massachusetts Authorities Warn Community of Court Date Scam

How the Phone Scam Works

According to the Massachusetts State Police, the scam works when a victim receives a phone call from a person claiming to be a Massachusetts State Trooper with the "Internet Crime Complaint Center." The fake trooper tells the victim that their identity is being used to commit crimes in China and asks them to stay on the line to speak with the Shanghai Police to resolve the matter.

Massachusetts State Police Wants You to Know This Phone Call is Bogus

Of course, this is bogus, as the Massachusetts State Police notes that it does not have an "Internet Crime Complaint Center." It's important to protect yourself, and if you receive a phone call like this to just hang up, or if you don't recognize the number, don't answer it and let voicemail take it. If the bogus trooper leaves a message, you can share that information with the authorities.

Be Careful of How You Proceed

In this modern era of technology, you can never be too careful. Scams are becoming more sophisticated. Whether it's by text, social media, email, or a simple phone call, if the message doesn't seem legitimate, don't proceed further; just delete the message and/or don't answer the phone.