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fraud

A hand holding a cell phone; on the screen, the caller ID says "Scammer" with a large red "End Call" button below
#National Slam the Scam Day – Social Security Scams 1024 1024 SIB Staff

#National Slam the Scam Day – Social Security Scams

SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM AWARENESS

National “Slam the Scam” Day is designated to raise awareness of government imposter scams, which continue to spread across the United States. These scammers pretend to be government employees and claim your identity has been stolen or that there is another problem with your SSN, account, or benefits. These criminals continue to evolve and find new ways to steal your money and personal information. On National Slam the Scam Day and throughout the year, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department gives you the tools to recognize Social Security related scams in order to stop scammers from stealing your money and personal information.

Tips on how to avoid falling victim to scam callers:

· If you receive what seems to be a suspicious call, text, or email, verify the identity of the contact through an independent source such as an agency online website, online search engine or phone book directory. Do not use the contact info provided by the caller on the message the scammers sent.

· Do not feel pressured by the threatening caller until you have verified their identity and story. You can ask the caller for their name, employee identification number, callback number, and a reference number for the matter they are calling about. This information can be used to contact the organization directly to determine the validity of the request.

· It’s OK to Hang UP especially if you suspect the call to be a scam.

· Never send money or give bank account details, or other personal information to anyone you don’t know or trust.

· Don’t be so quick to give personal information. Always verify who you are speaking with if the call doesn’t seem legitimate, ask them to mail you the information.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department urges the public to remain safe and reach out to their local law enforcement agencies. Stations | Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (lasd.org)

Or directly contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-229-6297 or visit https://www.ssa.gov/scam/resources.html if you feel you have been a victim of these crimes.

Person holding a cell phone; caller ID on screen says "Police"; the person is holding a credit card in their other hand
Scam Spoofing Apps Impersonating LA County Deputies 1024 1024 SIB Staff

Scam Spoofing Apps Impersonating LA County Deputies

Los Angeles County Sheriff – Scam Alert

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would like to warn the public of phone call scammers Impersonating L.A. County Deputies using spoofing apps that show their number on the victim’s caller ID as the Sheriff’s office or local police agencies.

Los Angeles County continues to receive reports from residents receiving phone calls from scammers claiming to be a Sheriff’s office Sergeant, Lieutenant or personnel asking for payment for missing grand jury duty subpoena. The scammers will then ask for some type of electronic payment and threaten the callers with their arrest if their payment is not received.

Remember, if there is a warrant for your arrest, you will not receive a phone call from the Sheriff’s Office.

Stay informed by following the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Headquarters social media pages and your designated patrol station to help keep you up to date on crime trends and safety tips.

Tips on how to avoid falling victim to scam callers:

  • If you receive what seems to be a suspicious call, text, or email, verify the identity of the contact through an independent source such as an agency online website, online search engine or phone book directory.

Do not use the contact info provided by the caller on the message the scammers sent.

  •  Do not feel pressured by the threatening caller until you have verified their identity and story.  You can ask the caller for their name, employee identification number, callback number, and a reference number for the matter they are calling about. This information can be used to contact the organization directly to determine the validity of the request.
  • It’s OK to Hang UP especially if you suspect the call to be a scam.
  • Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department or any government agency would never ask for any type of payment over the phone or banking information.
  •  All financial transactions are typically handled in person at the courthouses and custody facilities. 
  • Never send money or give bank account details, or other personal information to anyone you don’t know or trust.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department urges the public to remain safe and reach out to your local law enforcement agencies  Stations | Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (lasd.org) if you feel you have been a victim of these crimes.

a couple is shopping online, they are sitting on a couch both using a computer. the camera is looking at the computer and keyboard, the wife is holding the credit card and the husband is navigating on the keyboard.
Holiday Shopping Safety Tips 900 900 SIB Staff

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

This Thanksgiving weekend is the start of the holiday shopping season. Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide an opportunity for consumers to find a great deal. In order to help the public have a crime-free shopping season, LASD periodically informs & continues to warn the public through social media about holiday safety

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

  • Neighbors watch out for neighbors! If you will be staying home or traveling, help keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it to your local law enforcement. This makes communities safer.
  • Let someone you trust know when you’re traveling. Have them watch your house and retrieve any newspapers and collect your mail. If you are going to be gone long, contact your United States Postal Service and put your mail on hold.
  • When out shopping, stay vigilant! Park in a well-lit area.
  • Avoid shopping alone! Consider shopping with friends or relatives so everyone looks out for each other.
  • If you are shopping with children, coach them on what to do if they become separated. Make sure they know their first and last name, have contact phone numbers memorized and teach them about 911.
  • Do not leave packages in plain view in your vehicle. Lock your vehicle and place all your merchandise in the trunk.
  • If you place packages in your vehicle and plan to go back inside for more shopping, please consider driving away from your current parking spot and park somewhere new, so no one knows what valuable items you just left unattended.
  • Remember where you parked and be sure to locate your keys prior to going to your car. Prior to getting into your vehicle take a look inside and around before entering.
  • Be cautious of strangers approaching you for any reason. Many thieves will use different methods to distract you with the intention of taking your money or merchandise. Consider Instead, volunteering or donating to a charity.
  • Keep a secure hold on your purse. When approaching or leaving your vehicle, be aware of your surroundings.
  • Keep your home safe! Set lights on timers, giving the impression the house is not alone. Make sure to close all blinds and lock all entry points such as windows, sliders, and all your doors.
  • Celebrate responsibly by planning ahead. Even if you’ve had only one drink, play it safe and designate a sober driver or use a ride-share service to get home. If you plan on drinking, don’t plan on driving.
  • Don’t use a debit card. Many people like using a debit card due to convenience or as a budgeting tool, but debit cards lack the same consumer protections that credit cards do. Should your account be compromised, you can be responsible for a greater share of the loss than if you had used a credit card
  • Be wary of online deals that are too good to be true. Do your research on whoever you are buying from.
  • If an online seller asks you to wire payment, be suspicious. Many times fraudsters will advertise a great deal on a high dollar item, but will only accept a money wire transfer. Once the money is wired to an account, it is very difficult to recover it if later on it turns out you were the victim of fraud.
  • Only do business with vendors who use secure websites.
  • Keep an eye on your credit cards at all times. A common tactic of fraudsters employed by a legitimate company is to take the card you present as payment, swipe it through the legitimate payment system, and then swipe it again through their own collection device. Your credit card information can then be used by the crook for their own purpose or sold to other crooks.
  • Guard your identity the same as you would your pocketbook. Criminals not only want your money, they want your identity. With it, they can use it to get credit and make purchases while sticking you with the bill. Your information is valuable and can be sold to other criminals as well.
  • Be suspicious of people claiming to be from your credit card company who need to “verify” information. If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from your credit card company asking you to verify Personally Identifiable Information be careful.
  • The caller could be a scammer who is gathering information that will later on help him steal your identity. If you feel there is some legitimacy to the callers questions, terminate the call and call back the company using a phone number you know is legitimate. You can find these numbers on your credit card statement or the company’s website.
  • Monitor bank statements for suspicious activity. With increased activity during the shopping season, it is easy for a bad guy to slip in a few unauthorized transactions without you knowing it. Monitor bank and credit cards regularly for suspicious transactions and question anything that does not look legitimate regardless of the amount. Most financial companies offer online access to your account and you can monitor transactions in real time.
  • Limit use of free Wi-Fi. Don’t use free wireless networks, such as those in coffee shops, when you shop online. Fraudulent Wi-Fi hotspots are too easy to set up and are often disguised to look like legitimate services offered by reputable companies. Bad guys use these fraudulent sights to capture your data or install malware on your device. Waiting until you have a secure connection at home or using data from your own personal cellular plan is a good way to eliminate this type of operation.
  • Stay informed by following the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Headquarters social media pages and your designated patrol station to help keep you up-to-date on crime trends and safety tips.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department wishes everyone a safe, productive crime free shopping season.

Fake warrant calls from unknown persons 900 900 SIB Staff

Fake warrant calls from unknown persons

Fake warrant calls from unknown persons

“Hello, there is a warrant issued for your arrest!”

On Friday, July 17th, 2020, one of our deputies from the San Dimas Sheriff’s station was called out to take a “Fraud by False Pretenses” report. See, the victim received a phone call from an unknown person and number indicating he was a “Drug Investigator.” This so called Drug Investigator told the victim she had “warrants for her arrest” and there was fraudulent activity with her social security number which she needed to rectify immediately. Thankfully the victim did not believe him, but the unknown caller then asked her if she would feel more comfortable speaking with someone from the San Dimas Sheriff’s station.

To her dismay, a second person called her and identified himself as the someone from San Dimas Sheriff’s station. This second person told her to do everything the “Drug Investigator” asked of her. The “Drug Investigator” then called her back and requested gift cards from her. Sadly, this victim fell into their trap and bought gift cards totaling over $4,000 to “pay” for the clearing of the warrants and the fraudulent activity associated with her social security number.

After discussing this with others, the victim realized she had fallen for this scam and was out $4,000.00.

Please know the following: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reminds you that we will never call you about any of the following:

*Monetary requests such as gift cards of any type to pay for “warrants”
*Delivery of such monies via telephone
*COVID relief payments/checks — very common now a days

“Threatening Impersonator Phone calls” are not new but they seem to be more common now especially with COVID related charities.

If you are unsure of who you are speaking with, please ask the caller for their information, hang up and call the specific agency in question. DO NOT GIVE ANY OF YOUR INFORMATION over the phone.

Do your homework and be aware of all the possible scams and those who prey on innocent people!

For more information related to tax scams please visit:

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-unveils-dirty-dozen-list-of-tax-scams-for-2020-americans-urged-to-be-vigilant-to-these-threats-during-the-pandemic-and-its-aftermath

THREAT-BASED IMPERSONATION SCAM 468 613 SIB Staff

THREAT-BASED IMPERSONATION SCAM

THREAT-BASED IMPERSONATION SCAM

If you receive a demand for payment by telephone, email, or other means of communication, to be made in any form for any reason, from someone portraying themself as a deputy sheriff or other Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee, do not comply.  Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department personnel will never ask for payment over the phone or by email.
  
Here are some tips to identify a potential threat-based impersonation scam and how to prevent yourself from falling prey to this scam or similar scams:
 
TACTICS:

  • Scammers conduct social media and Internet reconnaissance on their potential victims.
  • Scammers call and deceive their victims into thinking the callers are law enforcement officers or from a government agency.
  • Scammers may spoof a law enforcement phone number, falsely showing on the victim’s caller ID.
  • They threaten victims with arrest for outstanding warrants or other legal issues.
  • They instruct the victims to “resolve” the matter by “posting bail” with gift cards or Bitcoin.
  • Once a victim makes the purchase, the scammer instructs them to read the gift card numbers or bitcoin key over the phone.
  • Once the scammer is satisfied they received the necessary information, the line is disconnected.

 
PREVENTION METHODS:

  • If you are unsure if a call or email is real, verify the identity of the contact through an independent source, such as a phone book or online search.  Do not use the contact details provided by the caller or in the message they sent.
  • Do not feel pressured by a threatening caller.  Hang up and verify their story.
  • Never send money, or give bank account, credit card, or personal information to anyone you do not know or trust.
  • Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department personnel or any government agency will never ask for any type of payment over the telephone.  Financial transactions with our agency are handled at patrol stations, courthouses, and custody facilities.

If you believe you were a victim of this type of crime, contact your local law enforcement agency and report the incident. You can find the contact information for your local law enforcement agency at www.lasd.org/stations.

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google Play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org