Photo: Courtesy of Placer County Sheriff’s Department
Placer County residents are being warned about phone scammers who are posing as deputies from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) and threatening residents with arrest if they don’t pay them. Despite previous warnings, these phone scammers are still actively targeting Placer County residents.
In the most recent case, a resident received a call from a scammer posing as a PCSO employee who claimed that a warrant had been issued for their arrest for failing to appear in court. The resident, who had heard of this type of scam before, questioned the scammer, who then became aggressive and threatened the resident. Unfortunately, the scammer was able to spoof their phone number, making it difficult to trace the call.
The PCSO reminds residents that no legitimate law enforcement agency in the United States will ask for money in any form, especially gift cards. If you receive a suspicious call, it’s okay to hang up and do your own research to contact the agency or company and confirm whether the inquiry is legitimate.
The PCSO also advises residents who believe they have been financially victimized by a scammer to file a crime report online at https://www.placer.ca.gov/2298/Online-Crime-Reporting. This will allow authorities to investigate the scam and help prevent others from becoming victims.
