Woodland police warn residents after phone scam threatened arrest for cash
The Woodland Police Department is warning residents to stay alert after a local resident narrowly avoided losing money in a phone scam that threatened arrest unless cash was paid.
On Wednesday, the department said the caller used official-looking government identification, spoofed phone numbers that appeared as “Woodland PD” and personal information about the intended victim to make the demand seem legitimate.
The resident avoided the scam by contacting the Police Department to verify the call.
“Law enforcement will never request payment in exchange for avoiding arrest,” the Police Department said in a statement posted to Facebook. “That is not how the system works.”
Common signs of a scam include unexpected calls demanding money, threats of arrest over unpaid taxes, requests for fees to claim lottery winnings, and pressure to transfer money by phone or text.
“If someone contacts you demanding immediate payment, pause and verify — it is likely a scam,” the Police Department wrote.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a scam can call the Woodland Police Department’s non-emergency line at 530-666-2411.
