The so-called “warrant scam” is happening right now in many counties, including San Diego County, according to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office.
It starts with a startling phone call alerting you have a warrant out for your arrest. Scammers instill fear in you to get you to act without thinking.
Officials say the scammer will be very convincing and
- Use the name of an actual Sheriff's Department employee
- Give the actual telephone number of a Sheriff's Station or Substation
- Have some of your personal information such as a former address or your date of birth
- Threaten you with jail time or taking away your driver license
- Ask for more personal information
- ASK FOR MONEY either with a credit, debit or prepaid card
Beverly Davis from South Park is 82 years old and was nearly victimized. Davis got a call last Wednesday from a man who identified himself as a deputy from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. The man gave a first and last name and knew personal information about Davis, including her maiden name and address. He even gave her case numbers.
“He told me there were two warrants against me. One for failure to appear for jury duty and the other for contempt of court,” she said. “Whew! I couldn’t think straight.”
The man transferred Davis to the “Treasurer’s Office” and a woman picked up. She told Davis they needed more than $1,500 to start the process and that she could get a prepaid card from the Food 4 Less on Hazard Center Drive to expedite things.
“She even told me where in the store you can go and get the cards. On the left,” Davis remembered.
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Davis said at the store she literally had the cash in one hand and her cellphone with the suspected scammer on the line in the other. A clerk overhead their conversation and walked over to Davis to whisper in her ear.
“She said it was a scam and 'Hang up! Hang up!'” explained Davis. “So I said ‘You’re out of luck Stephanie!’ and I hung up!”
Davis is extremely grateful for the store’s clerk and manager.
The Sheriff’s Departments say none of their deputies or any employee would call you to ask for money. If there is a warrant out for your arrest, they will get hold of you in person. If you get a call from an apparent law enforcement official asking you for money, you should hang up, they say.
Get more information on this scam and what you can do here.
