The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents to be alert after an increase in telemarketing/telephone scams by way of local (310 or 249) prefix numbers in the last several months.
“They do this to ease the call recipient’s suspicion of being contacted by a tele-marketer or scammer,” explains LCSO Captain Kevin Jones.
“Most recently, we received information of someone posing as a member of the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, falsely informing people they are subject to arrest as a means of extorting money from them. During the calls, the crooks claim the victims are facing arrest over supposed failure to pay taxes or appear for jury duty or some other purported offense.”
According to Captain Jones the thieves are applying a technique referred to as ‘caller spoofing’ which makes the incoming call appear to be coming from any telephone number that the scammers wish.
In the most recent case, the crook showed the number coming from a legitimate Lassen County Sheriff phone line on the recipient’s caller ID screen.
“Among the techniques the perpetrators use to make a pitch convincing are using the name of the actual Sheriff’s employee; giving the telephone number of the Sheriff’s Office; presenting victims’ personal information, such as a former address or date of birth; and threatening jail time or driver’s license revocation. These pitches culminate with demands for money via credit card or debit card.”
Jones assured local residents that no Sheriff’s Deputy or non-sworn employee will ever contact members of the public by telephone to demand a payment of any kind. Anyone receiving such a call or any type of money request by way of threat or intimidation is asked to report the incident to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and to the Federal Commission website, fcc.gov/complaints.
“Unfortunately,” said Jones, “people are continually finding methods to extort or steal money from others by any means possible. Please report any type these attempts to our agency immediately.”
Official Lassen County Sheriff’s Office phone lines include the Business Line at (530) 251-8013; the Communication Center at (530) 257-6121, 6122, 6123, 6124 and the Lassen County Jail at (530) 251-5245.
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