Palm Springs Police warn residents about phone scam impersonating officers
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Palm Springs Police Department is warning residents about an increase in phone scams involving callers who falsely claim to be law enforcement officers.
Police say they’ve received multiple reports in recent days from people who were contacted by scammers posing as Palm Springs police officers.
The callers often tell victims they have an outstanding arrest warrant, unpaid traffic fines, missed a court appearance or subpoena, or failed to report for jury duty. They then threaten immediate arrest unless payment is made.
“They’re trying to instill fear on the individual, and what that does is interrupt their ability to kind of make logical sense of what’s going on,” said Palm Springs Police Department Capt. Gustavo Araiza.
Authorities say scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often spoofing the Palm Springs Police Department’s phone number, using the names of real officers, and providing fake badge and case numbers to make the calls appear legitimate.
One local resident, Terry Davis, recently received a call from someone claiming to be with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office regarding what was described as an urgent civil case.
At first, Davis believed the caller.
“I can usually tell that they’re scammers right away, so I don’t do anything about it,” Davis said. “But this one at first started really convincing because they obtained the name of a sergeant.”
Instead of following the caller’s instructions, Davis contacted the Sheriff’s Office directly and learned the call was a scam.
“It was scary,” Davis said.
Police say that’s exactly the reaction scammers are hoping for.
Police say there are three major warning signs that a call is likely a scam: the caller threatens arrest, demands immediate payment, or insists the person stay on the phone throughout the process.
The department reminds residents that legitimate law enforcement agencies do not call people demanding immediate payment to avoid arrest.
Anyone who receives a suspicious call is urged to remain calm, hang up immediately, independently verify the claim, and report the incident to local law enforcement.
Palm Springs police is investigating the recent reports.
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