Ventura Sheriff's Office warns against phone call scam from person posing as deputy
FILE - An elderly woman is using a cordless landline phone. (Photo by Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/picture alliance via Getty Images)
VENTURA, Calif. - The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about a scam circulating in the area, in which a man is posing as a VCSO Captain.
According to the department, residents receive phone calls from a person identifying themselves as Captain Greg Gibson from the Sheriff's Office. "Captain Gibson" then says that person owes a large sum of money to pay an outstanding warrant.
"The caller is NOT affiliated with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, and the phone number used is NOT associated with law enforcement," the VCSO wrote in a press release.
SUGGESTED: If you get a call like this, LA authorities say hang up immediately
The department said that scams like this aren't uncommon. In most cases, a scammer will pose as a law enforcement or federal officials, threatening victims with arrest, fines or deportation if they don't pay what they're asking.
"Law enforcement officials do not call citizens asking for money," the department wrote.
If you get a call from someone pretending to be Captain Greg Gibson, deputies say the best thing you can do is hang up. Importantly, deputies also say that if you get a voicemail, you shouldn't call the number back.
SUGGESTED: Don't answer phone calls from these area codes
"Don’t let your guard down and don’t be intimidated into providing personal details, or financial information," the department said. "…Stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities."