MCALLEN –McAllen ISD is warning parents of suspicious phone calls from people claiming to be from the district.

The school district said they’ve seen a rise in reports of people asking parents for Social Security information and tax information.

McAllen ISD decided to get the word out before more people fall victim. They clarified they would never request this kind of sensitive information over the phone.

McAllen ISD spokesperson Mark May said the tactic can sometimes be convincing.

“There’s also something else that they’re doing that’s kind of sneaky,” he said. “It’s called spoofing in which they can use some kind of software that masks the actual phone number. So, a person might think it’s coming from McAllen ISD phone number but it’s really not.”

May advised parents to hang up and report the call to police. He said they can also file a report with the school district.