FBI issues warning over ‘insidious new twist’ on phone scam

Scammers are disguising their phone numbers in order to make calls appear to come from genuine federal law enforcement offices (Picture: Getty Images)

A new phone scam in the US is tricking people into handing over money even when they contact the FBI to check the caller’s identity.

Criminals are using real federal agents’ names and disguising their phone numbers, giving potential victims details that appear to check out.

The problem comes when someone rings a genuine FBI office and asks whether the agent works there. Staff may confirm that they do, but that doesn’t establish whether the employee actually made the call or not.

A sensible safety check can leave the person with f...