Staffordshire PFCC warns fraudsters posing as police spoof its phone number
Staffordshire PFCC warns that fraudsters posing as police are spoofing its phone number. The number shown is the real PFCC line being spoofed, not a scammer-owned number.
- First reported
- Reports
- 1
Source: x.com · published
What happened
On 5 November 2026 the Staffordshire Commissioner's office (@StaffsPFCC) posted a scam warning on X that fraudsters claiming to be from Staffordshire Police are using ID spoofing so their calls appear to come from a genuine Staffordshire PFCC number. The office stressed that the number shown is its real number being spoofed, not a line owned by the scammers.
How the scam works
Caller-ID spoofing lets criminals display a trusted organisation's number while they ask for personal data, payment or remote access to a device. Because the screen shows a genuine PFCC number, victims may assume the call is official. Staffordshire Police and the Commissioner's office will not cold-call residents to demand unexpected payments or passwords.
The safe response is to hang up and contact Staffordshire Police through official channels: call 101, or use the contact options on the Staffordshire Police website, rather than returning a number from the suspicious call. Anyone who believes they received a fake call, or who gave information or money, should report it on 101 or via the force website. This report describes the PFCC number as spoofed and does not list it as a scammer-owned phone. The warning comes from the @StaffsPFCC post; scammers.com has summarised it and not independently verified individual calls.
Police and commissioner impersonation calls often escalate from a claim about a missed court date, a computer crime or a relative in trouble. Spoofing a PFCC number is meant to stop the victim from doubting the caller. Official guidance across UK forces is consistent: hang up and use 101 or the force website. Never dial a number read out by the suspicious caller.
Source
Post by @StaffsPFCC on X, 5 November 2026. Not independently verified by scammers.com.
Red flags
- A caller claiming to be Staffordshire Police while your screen shows the PFCC number.
- Requests for personal data, payment or remote access on an unexpected call.
- Pressure to act immediately and stay on the line.
- Any instruction not to hang up or not to call 101 to verify.
- Caller ID alone used as proof the call is genuine.
If you were targeted
- 1Hang up. Call 101 or use the Staffordshire Police website to verify.
- 2Do not trust caller ID; official numbers can be spoofed.
- 3Never give passwords, codes or remote access to a cold caller.
- 4If you paid or gave data, report it on 101 and contact your bank.
- 5Share the PFCC warning with family members who may get similar calls.