The Hawaii Police Department is warning the public about a possible telephone scam.

A Hilo woman received a telephone call at her home on Tuesday (September 16) from a man claiming to represent "Brady and Caruso." The man, who called himself "Mr. Rodrigues," made a vague reference to an outstanding debt and a case number and left a telephone number (1-888-889-7770 extension 318), asking the woman to call him back.

Before returning the call, the woman tried looking up "Brady and Caruso" in the phone book. There was no local listing. She then "Googled" Brady and Caruso on the Internet.  She found that this company has a history of scamming people over the telephone by making them think that they are collecting on an outstanding and delinquent debt. They use intimidation techniques (like threatening to freeze bank accounts) and will call relatives of people, trying to get them to pay off the debt.

Police caution the public not to respond to suspicious telephone calls, especially any requesting personal or financial information. Outstanding debt should first be confirmed through the establishment to which the money is owed. Police advise that questionable calls be thoroughly checked out using all available information sources.