Phone scam uses sheriff, Rancho Cordova PD numbers to demand payment, authorities say
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department says residents have recently reported a phone scam in which the caller poses as a sheriff’s employee and demands money.
The scam uses a “spoofing” technique that tricks caller ID into showing recipients the phone numbers 916-874-5115 or 916-362-5115, which are the numbers for the Sheriff’s Department and Rancho Cordova Police Department, respectively, according to a Thursday news release.
The caller tells the victim that there’s a warrant for their arrest, and then demands payment to clear the warrant, including via money order or prepaid cards, the release says.
The Sheriff’s Department advises that it never calls residents to demand payment. The department notes for Sacramento County residents to be vigilant, and to warn elderly friends or family members who may be most vulnerable to the scam.
Virtually identical scams were reported by the South Lake Tahoe Police Department last month and by the Auburn Police Department late last year.
Anyone affected by the scam should report the incident to the appropriate law enforcement agency and to the Federal Trade Commission.
