RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Scammers are taking advantage of the government shutdown . Across the Better Business Bureau system, the agency says scams overall have increased by 40-50% .

Alyssa Parker with the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Carolinas says they are particularly seeing an increase in government imposter scams.

"Last year, during this time, we had zero government impostor scams in our local area. This year we've had seventeen already. So obviously that's a huge increase just percentage-wise."

Parker adds that a large portion of those scams in the Triangle involve passport renewals . She says people are trying to renew or apply for a passport online and getting scammed by fake websites.

"They're thinking that the passport office is closed, but in fact, it's actual

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