The Kern County Sheriff’s Office would like to warn the public about a phone scam targeting individuals in Kern County.
At this time, we continue to receive reports that residents are receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be Sheriff's Office personnel asking for payment for missing a grand jury duty subpoena, not showing up for court as an expert witness, contempt of court, failure to appear, etc. The caller is asking for electronic payment to avoid jailtime. Payment is usually gift cards, bitcoin, or some other form of electronic payment. They are threatening arrest if payment is not received.
There are also reports that once the victim has paid that they must come into the Sheriff’s Office for a service such as signature comparison or to receive documents.
The callback number that appears is the Sheriff’s Office number. These scam callers use "spoofing" apps to make it appear that they are calling from the Sheriff's Office.
This is a scam. Kern County Sheriff’s Office DOES NOT ASK FOR MONEY, banking or payment information over the phone or accept payment for fees, tickets, or fines. IF THERE IS A WARRANT OUT FOR YOUR ARREST, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A CALL.
When you take a phone call you suspect to be a scam; you can ask the caller for their name, employee identification number, callback number, and a reference number for the matter they are calling about. This information can be used to contact the organization directly to determine the validity of the request.
Community members are reporting that the caller is not "letting" them hang up. This urgency is a red flag. Hang up the phone immediately if you suspect it is a scam call. If there is a warrant for your arrest, you will not receive a phone call.
If you receive suspicious telephone calls that you believe to be a scam, you are urged to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661) 861-3110, or your local law enforcement agency to report the incident.
