FBI has issued a warning to smartphone users about the increasing threat of dangerous scam calls that can lead to loss of your money.

The bureau’s alert focuses on fraudulent calls that appeared as though they came from banks or technical support, tricking users into transferring money or installing harmful software.

According to Forbes, these scam calls often “fake” the caller ID number, making them even harder to identify as fraudulent.

Fake police calls demanding money

While calls from banks are already is worrisome , a new and alarming scamming trick has emerged. One of them is scam calls claiming to be from law enforcement, demanding payment to avoid arrest.

A police department in Virginia recently warned of an ongoing scam in which suspects pose as local officers to coerce victims into giving money.

These scammers falsely claim that a arrestwarrant has been issued for missing a court date or jury duty, and that the victim will be arrested unless they pay immediately.

Nationwide spread and authorities’ advice

Reports of such scams are coming from across the U.S., with local media outlets highlighting the growing issue.

The Suffolk County Police Department in New York reported incidents where residents were contacted by scammers posing as police officers, demanding money for supposed warrants.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also warned of an increase in scam calls from individuals posing as CBP employees, seeking personal information and money under false pretenses.

FBI’s advice is clear: any call claiming to be from a bank or law enforcement is almost certainly a scam. Authorities urge people to end the call immediately and not engage with the scammers.

Fake credit alerts, banks warn customers

Legit.ng reported that Nigerian commercial banks have cautioned their customers about an increase in fake bank alerts, a method commonly employed by scammers to trick individuals and businesses.

This was contained in several statements from different banks made available to the press. The banks noted that these fake alerts are designed to appear like legitimate notifications of deposits or transfers, causing recipients to think they have received said sum.