East Texas authorities issue warning about telephone scam

Marshall Police want you to be aware that someone is making deceptive phone calls.

Investigators are looking into several reports of residents who receiving phone calls from someone posing as emergency personnel.

The caller informs the person that a loved one has been involved in an accident or that officers have a loved one stopped on the side of the road.

The person receiving the call is asked to come to the local emergency room or to the site where the loved one is being detained.

Authorities say these calls can be a ploy to get you out of your home so that they can burglarize it.

Marshall Police say there are several ways to defend yourself against this hoax by asking the following questions:

• What agency do you work for?
• Where exactly do I need to come?
• Who exactly do you have detained?
•  Once you get this information and before leaving the residence, call that loved one to try and make contact.
• Also, call that agency's non-emergency number to see if they actually have an officer or deputy at that location.
• If the caller advises you to come to the local emergency room, call that emergency room to see if they have that loved one in their facility.