BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about scam calls from people falsely claiming to represent the department and requesting payments for various fabricated fines.
"We've seen people even try to impersonate our Sheriff, Youngblood, and say they're Sergeant Youngblood," Lori Meza, Public Information Officer for the Kern County Sheriff's Office, said.
Meza notes these scams are a constant problem in our community with no signs of slowing down.
"But as far as a decrease in scams, I never see a slow period; these people don't take days off," Meza said.
According to Meza, residents have reported calls claiming they must pay fines for missing jury duty, unpaid parking tickets, or unpaid tolls. She emphasizes that the Sheriff's Office would never contact residents requesting payment over the phone.
"The only time you might pay a fee is if you're coming in to get like a CCW, or something like that, get some fingerprints done, those are the only things we would charge you for, and you would pay them right here and it would be in exchange for a service you were coming into receive," Meza said.
For residents who receive suspicious calls, Meza identified several red flags to watch for: callers who become agitated, create a sense of urgency about payment, or insist you stay on the line.
"Someone who insists you stay on the phone while you go get a visa check card, or a green dot card, that is the sign of a red flag," Meza said.
Many scams also attempt to get residents to click on links, which Meza warns are attempts to steal personal information and money.
"So, please, please, please, be a good neighbor and share this information with your loved ones and friends," Meza said.
While the Sheriff's Office is notified of numerous scams, Meza believes many incidents go unreported. She encourages residents to call the department's non-emergency line if they suspect they've been targeted, as public participation is essential to crack down on these criminals.
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