Full Notification

It’s that time of year again when telephone and email scams become more prominent and criminals try any type of ruse to obtain your money or personal information.  A quick and simple way to avoid becoming a victim is to NEVER give your financial or personal information over the phone! Always be suspicious of phone calls, texts or emails that come out of the blue, asking for your information or directing you to obtain digital money (i.e. BitCoin, PayPal cash, or a MoneyGram etc…). You should never feel pressured by the caller. If you do, it’s a scam!
 
 
Here are the current trending scams reported to SMPD:
 
Warrant Threats-
A criminal will call saying they are a law enforcement officer and they have a warrant out for you or your family members arrest.  They would then instruct you to pay a “fine” in the form of a money gram, PayPal cash, or gift card.
 
Threats Scam-
You may receive an email or a call saying that someone has put a “hit” out on you or a family member, threatening to harm you or them if you don’t send payment via digital money or gift cards.  Although, this particular scam is stressful for most, remember these scams are designed to scare and make people panic.  Call SMPD or your local police agency to report it.
 
Apple Scam (phishing scam)-
A criminal will send you a text or email saying your iCloud account was compromised and they need to reset your information.  They will ask for your credentials, passwords, and personal information.
 
Phony Debt Collectors-
The caller will attempt to collect a false debt and direct you to pay the debt amount.  In this case get the name, number, and company information and end the call.  Then try to verify the call and company through your creditor.
 
 
These are just a few samples of the many telephone and email scams that are targeting our area.  To stay informed of other scams and for more in-depth information on how to protect yourself from becoming a victim, check out the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website.  You should also contact them to report the scam. 
 
Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/Information#crnt&panel1-1.
 
 
We wanted to thank our alert community members who have brought these telephone scams to our attention so we can keep our San Mateo community informed.  Together we can protect each other!