The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is warning residents to be on the lookout for phone scams after an incident was reported in which a suspect attempted to solicit money from a San Carlos resident while posing as a sheriff's deputy.
According to the information, on January 15, the alleged victim received a call from a man, who identified himself with the name of a real agent, claiming that there were two outstanding arrest warrants worth two thousand dollars.
During the phone call, the scammer asked the victim to deposit the amount onto a MoneyPak card at a CVS pharmacy or any Walmart convenience store, and that after doing so, he would provide the PIN on the back of the card.
It is worth noting that these reloadable debit cards are legitimate and can be used to pay bills. Many people who use them do not have bank accounts.
Scammers love them because they are more convenient than a bank transfer and untraceable, and once they have the number, they can send money to the bank.