SANTA MONICA—Local authorities are warning the public to be aware of a scam operation attempting to convince citizens that there is a warrant out for their arrest.
The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) informed the public after receiving complaints from several members of the community who were contacted by unknown individuals posing as police officials on the phone.
The fake police officials sometimes have the full name of the individual they are calling, where they demand some kind of payment.
The scammers will use the name of a police officer in an effort to sound legitimate to the person they are contacting. This is not the first time these scam operations have taken place in Santa Monica.
In August 2014, authorities received similar complaints from people who received similar phone calls claiming there was a warrant out for their arrest because they ran a red light or committed some sort of traffic violation.
The SMPD has alerted the public that they never call anyone asking or demanding compensation for any kind of violation they may have committed. Residents are encouraged to not reveal any personal or financial information to scammers.
To report these fraudulent phone calls, contact the Santa Monica Police Department’s emergency line at (310) 458-8491.
