TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Police Department (TPD) said it has seen an uptick in phone scams in the area.
TPD said it's noticing a wave of phone scams involving suspects impersonating law enforcement and other official agencies.
Scammers are using spoofed phone numbers, real agency names, and emotionally realistic situations to pressure victims, according to officials.
TPD provided the following tips to protect yourself from scammers:
- Never give out personal or financial information to an unknown caller.
- Don’t trust caller ID - scammers can spoof real agency and business numbers.
- Law enforcement will never ask for cash, gift cards, or barcode-based payments.
- Banks will never send someone to your home to collect your debit card or money.
- When in doubt, hang up and call the agency or business directly using a verified number.
To report potential scams, contact the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130.
There are some truly inspiring people who call the Tampa Bay area home. People who overcome odds that others could not even imagine. Tampa Bay 28 anchor Lauren St. Germain met a woman who is doing just that, as she competes at an international level after 2 life-saving lung transplants.
