Staff Reports

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Riverside – It seems as if fraudulent phone calls are on the rise, and uninformed victims may find themselves short on funds and long on disappointment.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, criminals are impersonating law enforcement officials, utility company personnel, and even county court employees, making random calls and threats in an attempt to extort money.

In one scheme, a victim is told that they have an outstanding warrant for failing to appear for jury duty.  In another scheme, the caller threatens to shut off utilities for past due payment or the installation of a new meter.  The caller would demand payment via credit card or Green Dot card. The suspect would typically remain on the phone with the victim while the money is transferred.

While these suspects are very convincing, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the Riverside Superior Court District make it very clear that they will never contact the public in such a way.

If you find yourself a victim of one of these calls, never, ever, provide any type of payment or personal information.  Tell the caller that you are going to contact the company they “represent” directly to resolve the situation.  If possible, write down any incoming numbers from your Caller ID (although many of today’s technologies can hide or scramble phone numbers) and as much information as possible.  Hang up and contact your local law enforcement.

To learn more information on phone scams please visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.ftc.gov.