(KNZA)--Just because your caller ID says it, doesn't make it true. “Don't rely on your caller ID to make you feel like you absolutely know that that's who the person is on the other line,” Brown County Sheriff John Merchant told MSC News. “It's not always the facts,” Merchant added, saying that at least one recently received phone call showed the name of a local judge, but actually originated from somewhere else. “Caller ID showed [the call] came from Judge Weingart, but the number [received by a Brown County resident] was a Florida number...it was from, like, an insurance company for a credit card agency, or something like that.”

Merchant says to be aware of the possibility of a scam prior to entering into any financial transactions.

Authorities say the best bet is to do business only with known companies that you contact, instead of those that call unsolicited.