Full Notification

Today, a resident received a phone call from a male claiming to be from the Social Security office. The male told the resident that she needed to withdraw all of the cash from her savings account because she was getting issued a new social security number and her current bank account would no longer be valid. The male caller told her to deposit the cash at a location to be determined at a later time and threatened that she would loose all of her money if she did not follow his instructions.

The male caller told her that the SFPD was going to call her with further instructions and not to disconnect the phone. While still on the line with the initial caller, the resident received an incoming call from the San Fernando Police Department public number of 818-898-1267. The caller said he was Chief Anthony Vairo and told her she needed to follow the instructions of the previous male caller or she would be arrested for money laundering and drug trafficking. Fortunately, the resident became suspicious and responded to SFPD to report the incident.

SFPD warns residents not to provide any personal information over the phone including birth date, social security, bank account or bank PIN card numbers. Sadly, scammers and thieves target individuals during the holidays as cash is typically on hand. These predators also use voice over internet and other software to display legitimate phone numbers to further coerce their victims.

Residents are encouraged to report any suspicious phone calls to the San Fernando Police Department at 818-898-1267.