Texas Border Business
EDINBURG, Texas – The Edinburg Police Department (EPD) is issuing a public advisory to inform residents about a recent phone scam targeting the community. They have received reports of individuals receiving calls from scammers posing as EPD officials and requesting their social security numbers. The EPD would like to emphasize that they do not engage in such practices and would never solicit personal information over the phone.
In a recent incident, a woman fell victim to this fraudulent scheme, providing her social security number to a caller who claimed to be Police Chief Jaime Ayala. The caller ID displayed the number 956-289-7700, which is indeed the general line for the Edinburg Police Department. However, it is believed that scammers have cloned the number to carry out these activities.
Edinburg PD strongly advises all residents to exercise caution and refrain from sharing personal information over the phone. This warning is especially crucial for elderly community members who are often targeted by such scams. It is important to remember that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never request personal details such as social security numbers over the phone.
To protect yourself from phone scams, the EPD recommends the following precautions:
- Be skeptical of unsolicited calls requesting personal information.
- Verify the caller’s identity independently by contacting the official organization through verified contact information.
- Refrain from sharing sensitive information such as social security numbers or financial details with unknown callers.
- Educate elderly family members and neighbors about common phone scams and provide them with guidance on how to handle suspicious calls.
