Telephone scammers target San Franciscans by pretending to be police

Police in San Francisco are warning the public of a telephone scam involving callers pretending to be police and demanding that residents pay fines to avoid arrest.

The scammers sometimes use a technology known as “caller ID spoofing” to appear as if they’re calling from an SFPD phone number on the victim’s caller ID, police said.

Police are reminding the public that San Francisco Police Department officers do not make cold calls, call about warrants or ask for money to pay off warrants.

Residents should always be suspicious of anyone calling and asking for money, and when confronted with such callers, residents should avoid giving out personal information and hang up immediately.

Anyone who has received such a call and provided payment or personal information, like a social security or driver’s license numbers, should report it to police.