AUBURN, Calif. — Auburn police warned residents Saturday of phone scammers posing as law enforcement asking for money.
Scammers will call Auburn residents, identify themselves as local police and say they have a warrant out for the person’s arrest, according to an Auburn Police Department news release on social media.
“Alright, Auburn, let’s clear something up: If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Auburn Police Department telling you that you have a warrant for your arrest and need to wire money to pay the fine…it’s faker than Bigfoot trying to sell you an extended vehicle warranty,” the department wrote in the post.
Auburn police said, to make things crystal clear, they never:
- Take payments over the phone.
- Accept wired funds for anything.
- Request payment via gift cards.
“And most importantly, we’re not in the business of calling you about warrants — especially not with a request for money,” Auburn police wrote on social media. “We prefer our surprises in person.”
If someone receives a scam phone call, police ask that they hang up, block the number and report it to the authorities.
“If it sounds fishy, it’s probably a scam,” the department said.
Auburn police said any questions can be directed to them. The real department can be reached at 530-823-4234.
Folsom faced similar scam
In March, the Folsom Police Department encountered a similar scam.
Folsom police spokesman Detective Andrew Graham said the scams take place nationwide. Scammers pay attention to which area codes they are pretending to be and what jurisdictions operate there.
Graham said the calls they ran into were often untraceable, but if someone does fall victim to the scam, they should file a report with police, which prompts an investigation.
“Hang up. Block the phone number, and don’t provide any payment or personal information,” Graham told ABC10 in March.
