Milwaukee area telephone scammers pose as U.S. Marshals

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- U.S. Marshals in the Milwaukee area say someone's spoofing their office number to scam people.

The con artists use threatening tactics, telling their victims that they'll be arrested unless they pay up. 

The scammers even use badge numbers and names of real officers.

They instruct victims to buy a prepaid debit card and read the numbers over a phone.

U.S. Marshals will never ask anyone to do that. If you receive a call like this, call the police.