LAKE MARY, Fla. – Lake Mary police are investigating an identity theft scam where suspicious phone calls tell people warrants are out for their arrests.
Police said they were contacted on Wednesday by a victim who said they had tried to call back the person on her caller ID but it had led to the Lake Mary Police Department.
The victim said the caller claimed to be a federal agent with the Department of Justice and had a warrant for her arrest, giving her another phone number to call to resolve the matter, according to police.
The caller said the victim had taken out a financial agreement and had not satisfied the contract, police said. She could pay a restitution fee or face a mandatory three-year prison sentence, the caller said.
When police confronted the caller on the phone, they said the caller hung up.
According to police, the callers are using software that allowed them to input police department agency numbers as the originating number to make their scam seem legitimate.
Lake Mary police said the scheme is widespread throughout Central Florida and they are investigating.