Full Notification

Scam Alerts
Don't become a Victim!
We are constantly inundated with scams coming by phone, the mail and of course the internet. The following scams have been reported by Redondo Beach residents that you should be on the watch for:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Scam
The Internal Revenue Service has warned about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers throughout the country, including residents in Redondo Beach. Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license.
If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at (800) 366-4484.

Grandchild (Family Relative) Scam
Residents have received calls from someone claiming to be their grandchild (or other Family Member). The caller says they are in jail in a foreign country, they need money for bail and then they give instructions to send money via Western Union or other means (Internet, Money/Gift Cards, etc.). There was a recent report of a person identifying themselves as a police officer from out of state. The victim was told that their grandchild was in custody and it would take $10,000 dollars in gift cards to release him from custody. The victim provided the gift card information over the phone. Later the victim made contact with a relative and found out that the grandchild had never been arrested and that this was a scam.
Be sure to verify the whereabouts of family members before wiring any money.

Government Grant Scam
Residents have received calls from someone claiming they are from the federal or government “grant association” and the person answering the phone has received a grant. The caller eventually states there is a fee that will need to be paid before they can receive the money. Grants aren’t awarded without you applying for them and the government does not charge you a fee to process a grant. Never give out your personal information or your bank account information when you did not initiate the call. To report a telemarketing scam, you can File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

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These are only a few examples of the many scams out there. Please be wary of unsolicited calls, emails received, etc. Never provide your personal information to an unsolicited caller or unconfirmed internet contact. If you have been a victim of a scam or fraud, please call the Redondo Beach Police Department at (310) 379-2477.