ATLANTA — Important private information could be at risk in the Atlanta area thanks to a new round of scam callers pretending to be investigators.
The Clerk of Superior and Magistrate courts in Fulton County, Cathelene Robinson, warned that the callers, referring to themselves as "special investigators," or even members of the clerk's office, are requesting personal information over the phone.
Information can range from very important details like Social Security numbers to birth dates. Scam callers may also ask for money to prevent their citations, liens, or even the arrest of the victim.
The "spoofing" calls also typically provide a fake name or number on caller identification to hide or add credibility to their attempts.
As the latest wave of scam calls hits the area, the clerk's office reminded the public that their office will never request personal information or money over the phone and instead will make requests by mail or sometimes email.
"As the Clerk of two extremely high volume courts, one of my main concerns has always been the protection of information related to the people that I serve," Robinson said. "Successfully combating phone impostor scams of all types, including spoofing, will take a collective effort."
Robinson added that the first step is to provide awareness and education about these scams to help prevent the public from falling for them.
"I also urge anyone who feels that they have been a victim of spoofing to report it [to] their local authorities and the FCC," she said.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also provides additional information about spoofing scams on its website.
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