St. John's Regional Fire Department Warns Public About Phone Scam Using Spoofed Number

The St. John's Regional Fire Department is warning residents about a phone scam in which fraudsters are spoofing the department's phone number and caller ID in an attempt to obtain personal information.

The department says it received a report Tuesday morning from a resident who was contacted by a caller whose caller ID displayed "Fire Department" along with the department's legitimate phone number. During the call, the individual claimed to be working in the area and attempted to gather personal information.

Officials confirmed the call did not originate from the St. John's Regional Fire Department and believe it is part of a spoofing scam, where criminals use technology to make it appear as though they are calling from a trusted organization.

The fire department is reminding the public not to provide personal or financial information over the phone to unsolicited callers. Residents are also advised not to grant remote access to their computer or network to anyone they do not know or trust.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call is encouraged to hang up immediately.