The Illinois State Police (ISP) is warning the public of a phone scam that is currently circulating throughout the state. Several individuals have reported to the ISP that they have received automated messages advising them they are under criminal investigation and requesting they send $600. The voice in the automated message appears to be a male with a foreign accent.
The phone number associated with the calls has been faked to appear as a legitimate ISP telephone number of (847) 608-3200, in a practice known as “caller ID spoofing.” The ISP wants to inform the public these calls are not coming from the ISP. Citizens should be wary of calls soliciting money regardless of the phone number the call is made from, particularly if threats are made by the caller or they become pushy.
The ISP will never call to solicit money on behalf of the Department or ask you to send money for any reason. The ISP encourages those that believe they have been the victim of this phone scam to call the ISP at (847)294-4400 to file a report.
For information on different types of phone scams and indicators of phone scams please visit the Illinois Attorney General website or the Federal Trade Commission at:
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/phonescams.html
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts
