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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The FBI Sacramento Field Office is warning residents about scammers calling and posing as FBI agents. 

“Nothing sends a person into a panic like a call from law enforcement, especially when the call informs them that they have been a victim of a crime or may be wanted for a crime,” explained Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis Guertin.

According to the FBI, if you aren’t sure if it’s a scammer or a real agent, do not be afraid to hang up. They said an agent would find other ways to reach you if they need to. 

Also, an agent will not try to verify their identity over the call with a badge number or phone number. Instead, they said an agent would direct you to FBI.gov, offer the option to find your local field office and call the number listed. 

Below are some tips the FBI listed to ensure you aren’t a victim of a scam.

  • Never click on links contained in unsolicited emails or texts. The links may route you to fake websites or deploy malicious software on your phone or computer.
  • Never trust the caller ID number; the displayed telephone number can be manipulated with software.
  • Never be afraid to hang up on an unsolicited caller.
  • Always consider sending unsolicited phone calls to voicemail. Most scam call centers will not leave a message.
  • Always check the email address of seemingly official communications and feel free to reach out to your bank or credit card company directly by calling the telephone number on the back of your card to verify if the email is legitimate.

To report a scam, visit www.ic3.gov or call the local FBI field office.