The Secretary of State’s office has been made aware of a phone scam where the person is claiming to be a state employee to get personal information.
In a release from the office, the scammer is asking for credit card and Social Security information. They also may be using a technique called “Caller ID Spoofing,” to make it seem like the call is coming from the Secretary of State’s office or another state’s.
“Although alarming as this activity is, there are steps Michigan residents can take to protect themselves,” Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said. “Any legitimate agency welcomes the chance to verify whether a contact, either in person or by phone, was appropriate.”
The office states if you have any doubts about the validity of a call claiming to be from the Secretary of State, hung up and call the Department of State Information Center at 888-767-6424. The Secretary of State will not call to ask for PINs, passwords or access to your bank account or credit card numbers.
They will also not threaten to suspend a driver’s license or vehicle registration if you refuse to divulge personal or financial information or demand immediate payment to resolve a problem.
