Phone Scams

The Tustin Police Department advises the public to be aware of phone scams involving subjects pretending to be law enforcement personnel. Several instances of this type of fraud continue to occur throughout the Orange County area.

Fraudulent Law Enforcement Phone Scam

Suspects fraudulently identifying themselves as law enforcement officers call victims claiming they have a warrant for their arrest. The reasons for the warrants vary; the most recent being failure to appear for jury duty or unpaid tickets. The victim is then told he or she can resolve the issue by obtaining a pre-paid money card and calling back with the card number.

Once the number is obtained, the funds can be accessed anywhere in the world. The scammers are using names of law enforcement personnel, and have voicemails using officers’ names and “spoof” caller identification so the numbers of actual law enforcement agencies will appear on the victim’s phone.

Protect Yourself

The public is advised that the Tustin Police Department does not solicit by phone and will never restrict the form of payment. In addition, payments related to warrants and/or citations are handled directly through the Court. The public can help combat this scam by doing the following:

• Hang up, and do not call the scammer back.
• Call the Tustin Police Department at 714-573-3200 to determine whether or not a Tustin Police Department employee is actually calling you, and to file a report.
• Contact the court directly to inquire about warrants, bail, or fine payments. View court locations and contact information in Orange County.