The Midland Police Department is warning citizens about a telephone scam being reported in the city.
Residents have reported receiving calls from someone claiming to be with the U.S government and calling in regards to the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009. The caller tells the individual on the receiving line to send $500 through Western Union and in return, the caller will receive $7,000. The calls have been originating from 202-657-5337, a number out of Washington,D.C.
This number has previously been linked to another scam in which a scammer told the call taker that he or she had won $9,000 for paying taxes consistently with no criminal record. The potential victim was told to pay $250 in order to reserve a spot at the Federal Reserve Bank and receive $9,000 within 15 to 20 minutes.
Any individual who has been affected by this scam is asked to call MPD at 432-685-7108.
###Media Contact: Public Information Officer Sara Bustilloz