An area law-enforcement agency is alerting residents about a scam.

The Sedalia Police Department says on June 9 a citizen received a call from Officer Jason Brown with the “Social Security Investigations Office”. The citizen was told that they were attached to abandoned vehicles in Georgia and Los Angeles in which cocaine was discovered.

“Officer Brown” asked for the citizen’s bank-account number, date of birth, the last four of their social-security number, and asked what vehicle they currently own.

When asked where “Brown” was calling from, “Brown” hung up on the citizen.

No personal information was released; and the citizen contacted the police department.

Detectives found that it was a spoofed number – a phone number made to look like a real business, but it is not.

Authorities advise if you receive a call regarding this or something similar from a governmental agency, remember:
1. Officers will not ask for bank information to confirm your identity;
2. They won’t ask for the type of vehicle you own presently to confirm your identity;
3. Never give out your personal information over the phone – the more they get, the more you could lose;
4. Write down the phone number, the name of the caller, and what they sounded like (accent, etc.).

If you ever are in doubt about a situation in which someone is asking for your personal information or may be trying to get you to send them money, contact the Sedalia Police Department at (660) 826-8100 or (660) 827-7823.