Social Security Scam Going Around Mother Lode
Sonora, CA — Scammers are using the appearance of calling on local phone numbers and claiming that social security funds are at risk.
Sonora Police Officer Thomas Brickley tells Clarke Broadcasting the department has received several reports of this type of crime over the past month. Scammers will use co-generators to grab random local phone numbers to show up on the caller ID to make it appear as though the call is from a legit person. Many times, the scammers have been posing as officials with the IRS and they try to prey on people by telling them that they need to talk with a US Marshall. Callers are then transferred to a fake US Marshall who tries to convince them to put money into prepaid gift cards.
Just this morning, Clarke Broadcasting was alerted by a local resident that our company phone number was being used by one of the scammers in the past day, and Clarke Broadcasting is obviously distressed to hear this.
Officer Brickley adds, “It is important to keep in mind that the IRS will never contact you by telephone and any correspondence they need is through a written letter.” And his main takeaway, “If you get a phone call from anyone claiming to be from the IRS, do not give out any information.”
