Scam Alert: If Your Own Phone Number Calls You, Don't Pick Up

CBS Local -- A new scam is tricking victims into giving away precious information by calling them from what appears to be their own phone numbers.

According to WSPA, the "number spoofing" scam calls victims and displays the person's own phone number on caller ID. One woman in South Carolina says she was curious to find out how her own cell number was calling her and picked up.

"I answered and they said hey this is so and so from the phone company and I'm just calling to tell you that your account has been hacked and I want to verify a few things with you to let you know," Kiara Milks told reporters. Scammers - who likely already have the victim's name and number - are reportedly looking for people to tell them their social security and telephone account numbers.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns that this new scheme is one of the most dangerous call spoofing crimes being used right now. "It sounds like it's pretty easy for scammers to do. And it's pretty easy for consumers to fall for," the bureau's Vee Daniel said.

Scams involving number spoofing reportedly accounted for half of the 1,400 incidents reported to the Department of Consumer Affairs in 2017. "It's kind of scary to be honest because you don't know how many people are actually giving their account information," Milks added.

Americans are being warned to never pick up a call coming from your own number. The Federal Communications Commission is urging people to file an official complaint if they receive such a call.