The St. James Police Department issued a warning about a phone scam that it said is targeting residents of the area in a Thursday, Sept. 3 Facebook post.

According to the social media post, scammers have been impersonating their department and “spoofing” their phone number and calling residents attempting to sell home security systems. Scammers have reportedly been able to make their caller ID match the phone number 573-699-8041, which is used by the St. James Police Department.

According to the Facebook post, the department has noticed an increase in scams targeting the area and warned that just because you see the police phone number on your caller ID does not mean that the call is actually from the department.

“Scammers can spoof phone numbers and make almost any number appear on Caller ID,” the post said. “The St. James Police Department will not call to sell you anything. We will not ask to come to your home to demonstrate or set up a security system.”

The police department advised residents who receive a suspicious call not to provide any personal or financial information, not to allow someone into your phone based only on a phone conversation, and not to trust caller ID alone.

“If it sounds suspicious, it probably is,” the post said, advising that when residents are in doubt, “hang up and call us directly.”