SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a scam in which callers warn residents they have a warrant, and demand money.
The individual has identified himself as “John Steel” with the Sheriff’s Office and requests money from the victim. The number the scammer has given out in several instances is 831-888-2626.
One resident fell victim, giving the suspect $1,500, Sheriff’s spokeswoman Ashley Keehn said.
“Please let your friends and neighbors know law enforcement will not call you demanding money in prepaid cards,” she said.
Sometimes scams such as these will include spoofing a legitimate police agency phone number and using the real name of a law enforcement officer in an attempt to gain the trust of the victim.
Tips to help avoid becoming a victim to this scam include:
• Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.
• Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
• Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites.
