NORTH SCITUATE — Colonel James M. Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of the Rhode Island Department of Public Safety, along with E-911 Director J. David Smith warn people to be aware of a telephone scam in which the 911 telephone number is spoofed.

Director Smith reports that a number of concerned citizens have called 9-1-1 to report calls to their home or personal cell numbers wherein the caller will represent themselves as being part of the E-911 agency. The caller ID is reported as the three digit phone number 9-1-1. Citizens are then asked to provide personal identifiable information (PII) which includes but is not limited to credit card data, social security information, and other information that could be used to compromise the victim's credit, identity or safety.

RI E-911 will never call citizens of Rhode Island or nearby communities in Massachusetts or Connecticut unless E911 received a call first and needs to call back for verification of a need of service or additional address confirmation, but to re-iterate, that it would only occur when a call to 911 has been received first.

During official business communications when 911 must call someone back, the caller ID on your phone will never display as 9-1-1. It will only display as a ten-digit phone number.

If you feel that you have been a victim of this activity, please contact Rhode Island State Police Headquarters at (401)444-1000.