Recently, we have taken some reports from community members who received calls from an individual claiming to work for the Newport Beach Police Department. After calling the police department directly, the community members discover that the individual does not in fact work for us. At this point, it is unclear exactly what this impersonator is intending to get from these calls.
When you get a call from an unfamiliar number, ask yourself... is the caller who you think it is? Scammers are good at pretending to be someone they're not. They can be convincing: sometimes using information from social networking sites, or hacking into email accounts, to make it seem more real. They’ll pressure you by playing on your emotions to get personal information or money from you.
Here's what you can do:
- Stop. Check it out. For calls from alleged government agencies or utility companies: Do not give out any personal information until you have verified the identity of the caller. Ask the caller for their name, department, and business phone number. Confirm that information by calling the organization at a phone number found on the internet or through official correspondence/billing statements. If the caller refuses to provide this information, terminate the call immediately.
- Keep your information safe. Never give out personal identifying information, such as your social security number, bank account or credit card account numbers, to anyone you do not know.
- Pass this information on to a friend. You may not have received one of these calls, but chances are that you know someone who will - if they haven't already.
