Beware of scams

Jake Kruger

Crime Prevention Specialist

There are numerous phone call scams occurring these days, and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department wants to remind residents to be cautious of scammers trying to deceive them. A common scam out there right now is the Social Security number suspension scam. The sheriff’s department wants to let everyone know that their Social Security Number cannot be suspended. If anyone receives a call like this one, just hang up.

Other common scams involve someone pretending to be a grandchild, the IRS or a law enforcement agent. Here are some helpful tips to avoid becoming a victim. Please share them with friends and family.

Residents shouldn’t trust someone just because they have their personal information. Scammers have ways of getting that information.

Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. Anyone who says they must be paid with a gift card is a scammer, and once the gift card number and pin is shared, the money is probably gone.

Don’t assume that caller ID information is proof of who they are. Scammers can make it look like they’re calling from a trustworthy company or number.

If a resident gets a phone call, email, or text from someone asking for personal information, they should not respond. Instead, they should verify the request by initiating their own inquiry with reliable sources or in-person.

If someone gives a scammer their information, they can visit http://www.IdentityTheft.gov. They’ll learn what to do if the scammer made charges on their accounts. Even if they didn’t give personal information to the scammer, residents should report scams to the Federal Trade Commission. These reports help law enforcement understand what’s happening, and it can lead to investigations and legal action to shut scammers down.

Jake Kruger works at the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Fallbrook Substation.