Crime Trends – Don’t Become a Victim

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a warning to the public to beware of phone calls from individuals claiming to represent themselves as a Deputy Sheriff in an effort to defraud them.

Reportedly, members of the public have received unsolicited phone calls from an individual who fraudulently claims he is a Deputy Sheriff. They are told they must pay fees for failure to appear for jury duty. The imposter instructs them to pay the fees by purchasing a prepaid “green dot card” or be subjected to arrest.

The truth is, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office or any law enforcement agency, would never contact a member of the public over the telephone demanding they pay fees and/or any fines lest they be subject to arrest for failure to comply. The public is reminded once again to be vigilant and never provide personal information, like Social Security numbers and credit card information, over the phone unless they themselves initiated the phone call.

If you believe you were the victim of this scam or a similar scam, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Tax Scams

In recent years, thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams and fake IRS communication. Scammers use the regular mail, telephone, fax or email to set up their victims. This page looks at the different scams affecting individuals, businesses, and tax professionals and what do if you if you spot a tax scam. 

REMEMBER: The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. In addition, IRS does not threaten taxpayers with lawsuits, imprisonment or other enforcement action. Recognizing these telltale signs of a phishing or tax scam could save you from becoming a victim.  For more information please visit the IRS website.

Identity Theft

Identity (ID) theft is a crime where a thief steals your personal information, such as your full name or social security number, to commit fraud. The identity thief can use your information to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services. These acts can damage your credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name. You may not know that you are the victim of ID theft until you experience a financial consequence (mystery bills, credit collections, denied loans) down the road from actions that the thief has taken with your stolen identity.   For more information on Identity Theft and how to protect yourself from someone stealing your personal information please select the icon below.