The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is warning consumers about scam calls and texts from people fraudulently posing as FCC Commissioners or employees.
In a Consumer Alert, the FCC says that the recent scheme involves callers falsely telling consumers that their phone number is under investigation for criminal activity and requiring them to provide private personal or financial information and/or pay a fine. Callers may also threaten consumers with potential legal action for failing to share information or making a payment directly to the caller.
In the Alert, the FCC reminds consumers of several basic ways to minimize the impact of fraud schemes, including: 1) not answering calls or responding to texts from numbers you don’t recognize; 2) refuse to provide personal information, including account numbers, Social Security numbers, passwords or other sensitive information; and 3) investigate the use of call and text blocking tools and apps to minimize the risk.
The Alert also details the mechanisms in place to report fraud and scams directly to the FCC.
Read the FCC’s Consumer Alert about scammers impersonating FCC Commissioners and employees.
