THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay Police Service is advising caution when receiving calls that appear to come from the force, after reports of local residents being contacted by unknown callers using spoofed police numbers.
The police service said the calls can show up on caller ID as a police-issued phone, or display as ‘Thunder Bay Police Service.’
“Please remember that caller ID can be spoofed and should not be trusted to verify the identity of the person or organization attempting to contact you,” the force stated in a release. “Most police-issued phone numbers will appear on caller display as ‘unknown’ or ‘private.’”
The service said it was not aware of the motivations behind the faked calls, adding it remained unclear if they were part of a prank or potential scam.
Residents are reminded that they have the lawful right to question an officer who contacts them to verify their identity.
Anyone with questions or concerns about someone claiming to be a member of the Thunder Bay Police Service is urged to contact the force’s non-emergency line at (807) 684-1200.
