Residents of Bloomington have been put on high alert after reports surfaced of a telephone scam in which callers fraudulently identified themselves as Chief Hodges of the local police department. The scammers, employing a variety of claims such as following up on a court document, addressing court dates, or discussing police or FTC reports, seek personal information under pretenses, according to the Bloomington Police Department, MN.

In a bid to combat the swindling scheme, the Bloomington PD took to Facebook to educate the public, warning that the real Chief Hodges would not be making such inquiries via phone calls, and anyone receiving these dubious calls should reach out to the provided Bloomington PD helpline at 952-563-4900 to verify the legitimacy of the claim, as reported by the Bloomington Police Department, MN. The police department's message was crystal clear: "Never give anyone information before verifying the validity!! This means you contact the entity or government office directly and not through any number they provide you."