SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica Police Department is alerting residents about fraud prevention. Sgt. Rudy Camarena indicated in a press release to Canyon News that “Phishing is the fraudulent activity in which email messages or phone calls are used to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card numbers. Requests are constructed to make the victim believe that the request is valid and the source is trustworthy.”
Authorities are alerting residents that scammers typically email messages that contain images or links that are designed to look like they are legitimate, but they are not. Most of the images would request the victim to take immediate action and payment.
The police department is alerting the public of the following measures to deal with suspicious calls or email requests.
- Do not click on any links in a suspicious email message. Instead go to the institution’s website and log in directly or call a telephone number you know is genuine.
- Do not reply to any messages that requests your personal information and do not send financial and/or personal information in an email.
- Be cautious about opening attachments or downloading files regardless of the sender. Attachments and downloadable files often contain viruses that can compromise your computer system’s security and personal information.
- Be aware that fraudulent email messages often contain spelling errors and use poor grammar.
- Be skeptical of any unsolicited calls.
Sgt. Camarena informed Canyon News that there has only been one email incident reported at the moment and the goal is to be preventive in the scam potentially happening to others.
Anyone with information regarding a telephone or email scam is urged to contact the SMPD by calling the non-emergency number at (310) 458-8491.
