RCMP release:

Police are warning the public to be cautious of a phone scam that appears to be spoofing a Halifax Regional Police phone-line.

Today, Halifax Regional Police received several reports of people receiving phone calls from the department’s non-emergency reporting/dispatch phone number 902-490-5020 which appears on the call display. The person claims to be from the Halifax Regional Police and advises the victim that their personal information was compromised as part of an international scam.

If you receive a call like this, do not provide or confirm any personal or financial information and hang up the phone.

Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make it appear as though they’re calling from a trusted source. Do not give personal information to anyone by phone, email or in person unless you are certain of their identity and the legitimacy of the organization they represent.

Several of the reports today were from other areas of Canada. If you have received a call like this and have given any personal or financial information to the scammer, please contact your local police department.