Police: Phone Scammers 'Spoofing' Their Number

The Paducah Police Department is warning the public about a phone scam that looks like it's coming from them.

A woman called police Thursday morning to investigate after she got a phone call from someone saying he worked for the police department. Caller ID showed the department's number of 270-444-8550.

The scammer told the woman her birth date and address, which he apparently found on the internet, and said there was a warrant for her arrest. The man also told the woman she could verify that he worked with the department by, "googling," the number on her caller ID.

The caller instructed the woman she could avoid going to jail by paying a fine and told her to go the police department and await further instruction. Instead, the woman called the police department to report the incident. 

Police remind everyone that they do not call people about warrants. Anyone who receives a call like this should hang up and call police, and nobody should give personal information to people over the phone.