An area law-enforcement agency is alerting residents about scams.

The Howard County Sheriff’s Office wants everyone to be aware that the agency has had an increase in scam-type calls recently.

The department urges residents to use caution and not to provide any type of identifying information to someone who calls you reporting to be from the social-security administration, the lottery, Publisher’s Clearinghouse, etc. Authorities say that is not how legitimate organizations do business.

The department just does not want you to lose your personal information or the money you have worked so hard to accumulate. Authorities say: “Do not give out any requested information. It is better to just cut them off and say “I’m not interested” and hang up.”