U.S. Marshals issue alert over rising imposter scam calls

SAN ANTONIO — The U.S. Marshals Service is warning the public about a rise in phone scams in which callers impersonate federal officers and demand money. The federal agency reports the scammers are using spoofed numbers and artificial intelligence to sound legitimate.

Jose Nuñez, a spokesperson for the U.S. Marshals in San Antonio, said the agency has seen an uptick in fraudulent calls targeting anyone willing to answer.

"A lot of people are receiving phone calls," Nuñez said, adding that scammers "are going after anyone that is willing to entertain the phone call."

According to the U.S. Marshals, scammers are masking their real numbers to make it appear as if they're calling from federal courthouses or official agency lines. Once a call connects, the scammers typically claim the person