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Police in Southern California are warning residents about a scam that involves people pretending to be local law enforcement officers.
The Rancho Cucamonga Police Department issued a statement about the scam, which they call "spoofing" or "phishing," on April 9. According to the police, an unknown male caller has been changing his caller ID to show the phone number of the Rancho Cucamonga Police Station. He then identifies himself as a police officer, even giving a false name, badge number and case number.
The scammer tries to scare the person on the other end of the line by telling them that their identity has been used to commit a crime or that there is a warrant out for their arrest, per KTLA. The caller then asks the victim to give more information to prove their identity or says that money needs to be sent to clear the arrest warrant.
If you think you've been contacted by this scammer, or if you're unsure if a caller claiming to be a law enforcement officer is real, you should call the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s non-emergency dispatch at 909-941-1488.
Additionally, anyone who may have information about the April 9 spoofing scam is asked to contact the SBSD’s Rancho Cucamonga Station by calling 909-477-2800. If you want to give a tip but want to stay anonymous, you can visit the We-Tip website or call We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463.