Vancouver Police say they never telephone residents at home to seek personal information or money, and they want homeowners in the city to be immediately suspicious if they receive such a call.
Const. Brian Montague says several complaints about questionable phone calls have been received over the last week.
In each case, caller identification shows the link originates from the police department's non-emergency line, but Montague warns the number has been spoofed and may actually come from a call centre in India.
He says all the potential victims have described the person on the line as unprofessional and having a South Asian accent.
Montague says the suspect identifies himself as a police officer and they believe similar calls are targeting residents in jurisdictions outside Vancouver.
It's not clear what type of personal information the caller may be seeking, Montague says in a news release.
"The various types of scams we see are only limited to the imagination of the fraudster," he adds.
Vancouver Police say the public should be cautious about giving any personal or financial information over the phone.
They say anyone who receives such a call should hang up, and if money is lost as a result of the calls, victims should report it to their local police department.
