ALLEN COUNTY, Ind. (WOWO): Businesses in Indiana are being warned of a new telephone scam, which is currently targeting offices nationwide.

The scam involves a business receiving a call from a person (usually a man) claiming to be a local police officer. He begins by asking for a company director by name and then asks a series of questions about the local area. The caller then asks you to make a donation to a community cause you have allegedly supported in the past.

Kris Hicks of CPR Call Blocker is urging businesses in Indiana to be wary of unsolicited calls like these. “The issue with this type of scam is that people in businesses could easily be tricked in to thinking that they have supported a cause like this in the past. As many local businesses often give back to their communities.”

Hicks suggests businesses never make a donation over the phone to an unsolicited caller without verifying their identification. This can be done by asking for their full name, job title and telephone number so you can check it out.

“The additional problem with calls like these is that people are naturally more inclined to trust a call that they receive from someone in a position of authority, such as a policeman. However, the police will not ask for money over the phone.”