SCAM ALERT! L.A. County Residents Receiving Fraudulent Calls From Fake Sheriff’s Office Members
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department wants to warn people about scams who call people and pretend to be L.A. County Deputies. These scammers use fake apps that show their number on the victim’s caller ID as the Sheriff’s office or a local police agency.
People in Los Angeles County are still reporting getting calls from con artists pretending to be a Sheriff’s Office Sergeant, Lieutenant, or staff member, demanding payment for missing a grand jury service subpoena. The con artists will then demand some kind of electronic payment and warn the calls that they will be arrested if the money is not sent.
Remember that the Sheriff’s Office will not call you if there is an arrest warrant out for you.
Follow the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Headquarters on social media and your assigned police station to stay up to date on crime trends and safety tips.
How to keep yourself from falling for scam callers:
*If you get what seems like a sketchy call, text, or email, check the person’s name with a third party, like an agency website, an online search engine, or a phone book directory.
The caller’s information in the message from the crooks should not be used to get in touch with them.
*Do not give in to the threat caller until you have confirmed who they are and what they are saying. You can ask the person calling for their name, job ID number, return number, and a reference number for the reason they are calling. With this information, you can call the group directly to find out if the request is valid.
It’s fine to hang up, especially if you think the call is a scam.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department or any other government office would never call and ask for money or banking information.
Most of the time, all financial matters are handled in person at courthouses and jails.
Someone you don’t know or trust should never get your bank account information or ask for money.
People are being told to stay safe by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. If you think you have been a victim of these crimes, you can contact your local police station or go to lasd.org.