Image by Alachua County on Flickr.
Someone is spoofing county telephone numbers in an apparent scam, and the county would like help to catch the caller(s).
Several residents have reported receiving phone calls from county telephone numbers 240-773-xxxx and 240-777-xxxx, according to a press release.
The callers generally don’t leave a message, prompting some who receive the call to call the number back. The county employee who answers is not aware that anyone is using his or her number.
The motive of the caller(s) is unknown, but there are no reports thus far of anyone losing money or personal information in this scam.
The county is asking that anyone who receives a suspicious call to report it by calling MC311 or via MC311.com and providing answers to the following:
- What was the date and time the call or message was received?
- If a person on the initiating end of the call speaks, what did they say?
- What county number did the caller ID show that the call came from?
Residents can reach MC311 from within the county by dialing 3-1-1 or by calling 240-777-0311 from anywhere, Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.