Federal court warns of scam using court’s telephone number

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Federal court officials in Indianapolis are warning that scammers are using the court’s main phone number to scam and intimidate people.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana says its clerk’s office recently began receiving calls from people reporting that someone claiming to be with the “court” had called them hoping to scam them.

The would-be victims’ caller ID made it appear as if the culprits were calling from the court’s main phone number, 317-229-3700, when they actually were not.

The would-be scammers told several stories, including telling the call’s recipients that their Social Security benefits had been “hacked” and asking for their Social Security number. Many of those being targeted have Latino heritage.

Court officials say government employees would never request personal information over the phone.