Hello everyone,
I could really use your advice.
This happened to me about 40 minutes ago (around noon CST on 5/23/2026), and I’m not sure what I should do next.
I want to make sure my identity and phone number are not actually being used in some kind of international investment scam (if the phone call is real).
I still feel a bit unsure, so I’d really appreciate your thoughts on how to confirm this is a scam and what steps I should take (like keeping records or anything else) just in case.
**Here’s what happened:**
I received a phone call about 40 minutes ago.
At first, my phone showed it as “Public Service,” and when I searched the number, it appeared to be from the Chicago Police Department. After hesitating for a few seconds, I decided to answer.
The person on the other end had a slight accent but spoke English pretty well. He claimed to be from a U.S. cybercrime investigation.
In short, he said his name and his badge number.
He told me that my U.S. phone number is linked to a Chinese phone number, which is supposedly registered under my name and ID. He claimed that this Chinese number had been sending investment scam messages to others, and that complaints were filed on February 9, 2026. He said this incident happened in a detailed address in Shanghai, China.
He then asked me to file a report with the Shanghai Police Department so they could investigate why the number is under my name.
When I asked if there was an official website or phone number I could use, he said he would transfer me because they are part of a global cyber system. However, the call got disconnected.
When I called the number back, a police officer told me it was a scam and advised me to ignore it.
Later, this person called me again. I told him directly that the police department said he was a scammer. He became upset and asked who told me that and what the person’s name was.
At that point, I hung up and blocked the number.