San Francisco Police Warn of Phone Scams Demanding Payment of Fines
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Police in San Francisco on Monday warned residents of phone scammers claiming to be police and attempting to get people to pay fines on outstanding warrants or crimes.
In a release issued by the department Monday, police said they have learned of phone scams making such demands with perpetrators sometimes using technology known as "caller ID spoofing" that makes it appear than an SFPD phone number or other official looking phone number is making the call on the victim's caller ID.
Police issued the release to remind the public that the San Francisco Police Department does not:
- Make cold calls asking for donations
- Call people to tell them about warrants
- Ask for money, gift cards or wire transfers to pay off warrants
"San Francisco Police urge all members of the community to be suspicious of strangers calling for money to pay outstanding warrants or fines as this is not the correct procedure," the release said.
People receiving such calls should immediately hang up and not engage the caller in conversation or provide any personal information, police said. The public was encouraged to share the warning with family and "any vulnerable people who may be potential victims of this scam."
Anyone who has provided either personal identification information such as Social Security or driver's license numbers or payment after such a call is advised file a police report on the incident in the jurisdiction of their residence.
