SAN ANGELO, Texas —
The San Angelo Police Department is warning the public about scammers targeting the most vulnerable members of the community.
Scammers' main target has become senior citizens using tactics of intimidation to gain trust and then threatening their victims.
The scammers will then demand the victims pay large amounts of money for fake warrants.
Senior citizens are becoming frequent targets for scammers because they are easily trusting and naïve, especially when it comes to those who pose as government officials. Scammers use different tactics to commit fraudulent schemes including over-the-phone, door-to-door and online.
The SAPD posted on its Facebook page alerting the public of the fraudulent scheme that has been going on. The post states the department has received calls regarding scammers spoofing its dispatch phone number and calling residents “demanding money from them.”
Spoofing is a method of knowingly disguising a form of communication that is often a trusted source and is used for harm. Scammers can modify and make any name or number appear as the caller ID. In order to change the caller ID, scammers use automated dialing software to set robocalls and what they would like displayed as the caller ID. This fraudulent method can create millions of calls over internet phone lines in just minutes.
The SAPD is reminding the public they will never request Green Dot money cards, Apple/Google play gift cards or any other form of payment.
For any questions regarding the validity of a phone call, contact the SAPD.
