The Honolulu Police Department is warning the public of a possible scam involving roadwork.

A Hawaii Kai resident recently received a call from a stranger regarding roadwork that was being done in her neighborhood. The caller told the resident that she would like to come by to discuss the roadwork and asked if the resident would be home at a particular time. When the resident became suspicious and started to ask questions, the caller abruptly hung up. The resident was able to retrieve an originating phone number using caller ID, but the number was disconnected.

Besides hanging up and calling police, authorities also said:

» Don’t be afraid to ask the caller for his or her contact phone number and address, name, company, employer and supervisor.

» Listen not only to the caller but any background noise. Sometimes this noise or sounds can help identify the source or confirm suspicions.

» Never give any personal information to anyone you don’t know.

» Don’t tell strangers when you’ll be away from home or traveling.

» Phone numbers used to make phone calls or send messages can easily be changed to look like another, unrelated number. Commonly known as “spoofing,” this can be done with the simple use of freely available technology. The same can be done with email. Don’t be fooled by a phone number or email address that looks legitimate.