I was attending a healthy eating class through Duluth Community Action with my friend Coleen when her cell phone rang.  We were both surprised since we thought we had both silenced our phones for the class.  We were even more surprised to see that the number that was calling was her own.

She said, "I'm calling me".  I laughed and said, "what" not fully understanding.  Then she showed me her phone screen and it was her own phone number and name on the screen.  I told her not to answer it and when it stopped ringing, I tried calling myself from my phone and only got a recording to put in my password and push pound.  The class started so we forgot about it, until the next day.

At work the next day, she found out that a gal she worked with had the same thing happen to her and at about the same time.  Then, I saw a friend's Facebook post:

I just received a call from my own telephone number telling me I had an important message and to enter the last 4 digits of my social security number. Obviously I didn't and just hung up. Has anyone else had this happen?

Response to his post indicated that yes, several other had also experienced a call from their own phone number.  From information I gathered it seemed that most of the people that had their own number call them used AT&T as their carrier and the company had told one of them that they had already received about 50 calls in regards to it.

According to the Minnesota Attorney General's Office you shouldn't answer your phone if it's your own number that is calling.  There is no legitimate reason for that to happen.  Scam artists now use technology to make a person's caller ID show their own name and phone number.  We learned from Officer Tinsley of the Duluth Police Department that this is another form of phone "spoofing". Spoofing scams often come from criminals outside our state or the country.  They are attempting to mask their identity and evade law enforcement.  It is a theft of your personal number, a crime and should be reported to local authorities.  Remember, always be cautious if something doesn't seem right to you and never provide your personal or financial information to unknown callers.

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