The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is warning the public about a surge in suspected scam calls displaying the actual phone numbers of police stations on caller IDs and the caller impersonating a police officer in an attempt to defraud people out of money.

According to the police department, since March 11, the fake callers have used Shinjuku police station's main number (03-3346-0110) at least 500 times, Kyodo News reported. Such bogus calls have been received in 40 prefectures, police said.

The callers are impersonating police officers and attempting to defraud the recipient out of money by claiming their bank accounts have been used for criminal activities and threatening that they will be arrested.

Additionally, the scammers have used the actual phone number for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (03-3581-4321) and other police stations in the city to contact potential victims on their smartphones.

Law enforcement officials currently do not know how the phone numbers are being faked on caller IDs or where the calls are originating from.

A police department official is urging people to not continue talking, but to ask the caller, 'I would like to call you back, so please tell me your name, department and extension number,' and then hang up the phone and contact a police station.