The Alturas Police Department is issuing an urgent warning to residents regarding a law enforcement impersonation scam, emphasizing that department officials will never call to request Social Security numbers, banking details, or any form of payment over the phone.
During these unsolicited calls, scammers may pose as representatives from local police or Homeland Security. In some instances, they have even used the names of former police chiefs to gain trust while attempting to solicit sensitive personal and financial data.
Residents are advised to hang up immediately upon receiving such a call. To verify a claim, contact the Alturas Police Department directly at 530-233-2011. If any financial information has been shared, contact your bank immediately; if personal identity information was disclosed, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with major credit bureaus.
Suspected fraud and identity theft should be reported to federal resources, including IdentityTheft.gov, ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
