SUNNYVALE — Police are warning residents to be wary of phone calls from people claiming to be Santa Clara County sheriff’s deputies.
On Friday afternoon, Sunnyvale police received several reports of suspicious phone calls from people who identified themselves as sheriff’s deputies. The callers told Sunnyvale residents that they owed varying amounts of money for penalty fees, courtroom fees or administrative fees related to missing jury duty, police added.
The phone number that was used for the phone calls was 408-438-1054, according to police. When not answered, there was a voice mail saying that callers had reached the “Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.”
But, police said, the number is not one connected to the Sheriff’s Office.
By Saturday morning, however, the cell phone number had been disconnected.
Police said the scam is nothing new, having been first reported in February. Law enforcement agencies do not make phone calls demanding immediate payment of money over the phone.
If you receive this kind of call, do not make any payments, police warned. If you receive a suspicious phone call, verify it through the local law enforcement agency referenced in the call.
To contact the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, call 408-808-4400 or email so.website@sheriff.sccgov.org.
Contact Katie Nelson at 408-920-5006 and follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.
