The Bear Valley Police Department is warning of a potential scam involving individuals impersonating law enforcement officers.
On January 27 at approximately 8:30 p.m., a Bear Valley resident received a call from a person identifying himself as “Kern County Sheriff Lieutenant Scott”. The caller claimed the resident had an outstanding warrant for failing to appear for jury duty, and it needed to be settled by midnight. The caller then transferred the resident to a second person, who identified themself as “Tehachapi Police Department Sergeant Stewart”.
The two callers told the resident to go to the Tehachapi Police Department with her children to resolve the issue.
Suspicious of the situation, the resident had a family member contact the Bear Valley Police Department while she remained on the line. A BVPD officer was able to speak directly with one of the callers and requested identifying information. The caller immediately hung up.
Protect Yourself:
If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to be with law enforcement and you are unsure if they are legitimate, ask for their full name, badge number, and agency.
Once you have that information, independently verify it by contacting the agency directly. Do not use phone numbers provided by the caller. Look up the official contact information yourself.
Common Signs of a Scam:
Residents should always be cautious of calls that involve:
- Refusal to provide identifying information
- A sense of urgency or threats of immediate arrest
- Pressure to stay on the phone
- Unusual hours or deadlines (in this case, “by midnight”).
If you have received a similar call, report it to the Bear Valley Police Department as soon as possible. Call the non-emergency dispatch line at 661-861-3110 or visit bvcsd.org/police-department to file a report online.
If you are being actively threatened or pressured, hang up and call 911.
