WASHINGTON – Montgomery County police say that fraudulent phone calls, looking to separate you from your personal information or your money, have been on a sharp rise in the past week.

The scam calls usually come in with a sense of urgency. The caller excitedly tells you that a loved one is in trouble and desperately needs your help. The scammers are hoping to catch you off guard.

But the police say the first thing to do is slow things down and think. Don’t ever give your personal information over the phone, and absolutely don’t give money.

The police also point out that scammers often use a technique called “spoofing,” which provides a fictitious number to a Caller ID display.

Police say the same scam was reported throughout the county back in February. If you think you’re a scam victim, call the police at 301-279-8000.

WTOP’s Kathy Stewart contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter.