Caller impersonating South Windsor, Conn. police chief spoofs department number to seek personal data
South Windsor, Conn., police warn that a caller impersonating the police chief spoofed the department's number and asked for personal data. The resident hung up and reported it.
- First reported
- Reports
- 1
Source: wfsb.com · published
What happened
On 5 November 2026 WFSB reported that South Windsor, Connecticut, police warned residents after a scammer impersonated Police Chief Kristian Lindstrom. According to the department, a resident received a call on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, from someone claiming to be the chief. The caller ID displayed the police department's main phone number, which had been spoofed. The caller claimed the person was a victim of identity theft and needed to provide personal identifying information. The resident recognised the scam, hung up and filed a report at the police lobby.
How the scam works
South Windsor police reminded the public that department employees will never contact citizens and ask for personal identifying information such as date of birth or Social Security number. Spoofing makes the real department number appear on the phone screen, so a familiar caller ID is not proof that the call is genuine. The safe response is to hang up and, if needed, call the department back using a number from the town's official website or a published directory, not a number from the suspicious call.
Anyone who gave personal information should contact the police department so a report can be filed and steps can be taken to protect their identity, and should also consider placing fraud alerts with credit bureaus. This report describes the department's own number as spoofed; it is not listed here as a scammer-owned phone line. The account comes from WFSB's report of the department's warning; scammers.com has summarised it and not independently verified the call beyond that reporting.
Source
WFSB, Scammers impersonating South Windsor police chief, department warns, 5 November 2026, reporting the South Windsor Police Department warning. Not independently verified by scammers.com.
Red flags
- A caller claiming to be the police chief or an officer who asks for personal data.
- Caller ID that shows the real police department number (which can be spoofed).
- A claim that you are an identity-theft victim and must confirm details by phone.
- Requests for date of birth or Social Security number.
- Pressure to stay on the line and answer quickly.
If you were targeted
- 1Hang up. Police will not ask for Social Security numbers or dates of birth in an unexpected call.
- 2If you need to verify, call the department using a number from the official town website.
- 3Do not trust caller ID alone; it can display a spoofed official number.
- 4If you gave information, contact South Windsor police and consider a credit fraud alert.
- 5Report the call so others can be warned.