The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is warning students about a phone scam that preys on your fears by using intimidation techniques.
According to the sheriff’s department, the caller identifies themself as an officer and tells the victim there is a warrant out for their arrest. The victim is asked to provide a credit card or form of payment over the phone to avoid jail time.
The caller uses a local number that will sometimes show up as a sheriff’s department number on your phone. SDSO wants to remind students to hang up immediately if you receive a call.
Lieutenant Karen Stubkjaer said not all cases are related and there has been a decrease in reported scam calls in San Diego. “Our Financial Crimes Unit is actively investigating the crimes and it’s too soon to give specifics as doing so might hinder the investigation,” Stubkjaer added.
Employees of the sheriff’s department will never ask for money over the phone. A warrant can not be cleared over the phone, only through the courts, according to the department. You can visit www.sdsheriff.net/resources to find out if you have an outstanding warrant.
