Full Notification

Scams/Other

DEA Scam

I have reported about this in the past, but it bears repeating. On Tuesday, 12-08-20 at 10:00 a.m., a 53-year old Daly City resident (victim) received a phone call from a male who identified himself as “El Paso DEA Agent Xavier Smith”, who told him that his identify was being used to traffic cocaine from Mexico into El Paso, Texas. The caller went on to say that the victim’s bank accounts were frozen by the DEA, and the suspect advised him to drain his bank accounts by using gift cards. The victim said the caller told him he needed to cooperate with the investigation, or they would send the local sheriff to his house to arrest him. The victim purchased five Target gift cards totaling $2,500. Almost an hour later, “Agent Smith” phoned again and requested the numbers from the gift cards. After the victim gave the caller the numbers, the caller hung up the phone. The victim called the number back, and the number was disconnected. He called the El Paso DEA, and they advised him he was the victim of a scam.

This type of scam comes in many iterations. The caller may represent him/herself as a DEA Agent, IRS Agent, Social Security Agent, or another government agent. None of these organizations would advise anyone to buy store gift cards to clear up an investigation. These people are convincing and good at what they do. Please do not fall prey.


Apple iPhone Support Scam

On Wednesday, 12-09-20 at 2:00 p.m., a 70-year old Daly City resident was the victim of a scam, and the loss was $10,000. The victim said she was recently having problems with her iPhone, and she did a Google search for “Apple iPhone support” and found a website and phone number she believed was Apple. The victim said she called, and the male who answered claimed to be from Apple Tech Support. She said after briefly talking to him, the line disconnected, and the male called her again from a different phone number. The male convinced the victim to download the “Screen Share” application from the Apple store so he could help her fix her phone. The victim said after she downloaded the application, her phone was controlled by the male, and he began opening different banking applications and cash transfer applications, including “Cash App”, “Boom Pay”, “BANX”, and “Bitcoin”. The male told the victim he needed to verify these applications to make sure that her account information was secure, and he needed a picture of her credit card. The victim provided the male with a photo of her credit card and her written name. The victim said the male had access to her phone and was on the phone with her for approximately two hours. After speaking to the male, the victim checked her Wells Fargo Bank account and noticed $10,000 in various transactions. The victim contacted her bank, and they froze the account.


Community Events/Information


COVID-19 Information

San Mateo County is now under a “Regional Stay at Home Order” as virus cases and hospitalizations rise. The rules will remain in effect for at least three weeks. Our City’s website has a comprehensive listing of a myriad of resources that can be beneficial to you during this time. It is on the front page of the website, and I recommend you visit it for information. The website is: www.dalycity.org




San Mateo County Alert System (SMC)

Have you signed up to receive these alerts? This alert is a free digital communication system used by emergency management agencies and first responders to send emergency alerts, notifications and updates to portable digital devices. In an emergency situation, an alert will be sent by San Mateo County authorized personnel and you will receive messages on your cell phone or mobile device. Most carriers activate the service automatically. To receive emergency alerts, sign up by visiting www.smcalert.info. According to County records, Daly City has the lowest number of registered users in the county. Please sign up today!


Nextdoor.com

Nextdoor.com is a free private social networking website for your neighborhood. This private network ensures that only those who live in your neighborhood can join; users must go through a verification process. Neighbors ask each other for business recommendations; help in locating missing pets; discuss relevant local government issues; or connect for other reasons. It is very easy to sign up. I like the fact that the site verifies users by addresses, and it won’t allow people to access to a neighborhood if they don’t live there. Please note: The City of Daly City and/or the Police Department cannot see what residents post—we are only allowed to post information. There is also a mobile application, or you can have it sent to your e-mail. Give it a try! www.nextdoor.com


Digital/Social Media

Please “like” us on Facebook if you would like to see updates and photos about the Police Department. Our handle on Twitter is @DalyCityPD, and on Instagram we are DalyCityPD.

If you have any suggestions or questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your concern for our community. I appreciate you taking the time to read my bulletins. Your comments are always welcome!

I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, for those of you who celebrate. I hope that you all will be safe. Celebrating responsibly has now taken on another meaning.


Thank you,

Diane McCarthy, Management Analyst
(650) 746-8373 [email protected]