The Sacramento Police Department would like to alert the community of a scam that has come to our attention. 

How the scam operates

The intended victim receives a phone call from the suspect who identifies himself as either a Law Enforcement officer or as an agent of the Internal Revenue Service. In each instance, they have identified the victim by name and also knew the victim’s Social Security Number. The victim was then told that they either owe back taxes or have a warrant for their arrest.  They are told an amount that must be paid to avoid being arrested. The suspect (caller) then directs the victim to immediately go to their bank to withdraw the money owed. The victim may also be directed to take obtain a bond or money order and send that to the suspect.

When or if the victim becomes suspicious and hangs up, the suspect may call back from what appears to be a local law enforcement phone number.  The suspect may tell the victim that police will be coming shortly to arrest them if they do not pay the fine. This is a scam.

In one nearly successful instance with an elder victim, the suspect offered to and stayed on the phone with the victim as he drove himself to his bank. Luckily, the bank teller was alert to possible scams, intervened and asked to speak with the suspect that was on the phone.  When the suspect was questioned by the teller he hung up.  The suspect then called the victim back and the number showed as a Sacramento Police Department number.   This particular victim truly believed the law enforcement agency; in this case the Sacramento Police Department, called back and were on their way to the bank to arrest him. In the two known instances the initial calls were placed from phone numbers with area codes of 915 and 716.  The call back was found to be a “spoofing” number created to have the appearance of being from the police department.

As a reminder, neither the IRS nor any other government or Law Enforcement agency will ever call and direct a person to pay fines in such a manner. It appears that these scam groups have obtained personal information on their victims and are targeting elders.  

If you have information or have been a victim of a recent scam, please contact the Sacramento Police Department’s non-emergency dispatch line at (916) 264-5471.

Recent Sacramento Police Department Press Release on Scams:  http://www.sacpd.org/newsroom/releases/liveview.aspx?release_id=20140910-099