Sonora, CA — The Sonora unit of the CHP warns of a scam hitting the Mother Lode that impersonates one of its officers to get personnel information from victims.
The CHP was alerted to the scam after getting several calls from people checking to see if the unit was asking the public for donations. This is not a new scam, but one that is popular with con artists. A scammer using a ‘No caller ID’ number identifies themselves as a CHP officer and asks the person to donate to a cause, like purchasing new equipment, to obtain personal identifying information.
CHP spokesperson Officer Jamie Pullen advises that if the CHP has information for the public or an alert, they will use social media or local news organizations, like Clarke Broadcasting, to get their message out. He added, “A CHP officer will never call and request donations.”
Anyone who gets a call they believe to be a scam is asked to report it to the CHP at 209-356-2900.
Written by Tracey Petersen.
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