SFPD Warns of 'Outstanding Warrant' Phone Scam

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is warning community members of a phone scam currently making the rounds. Scammers are calling residents claiming they have outstanding warrants or have committed crimes and must pay a fine.

According to the SFPD, the scammers have been at times using technology referred to as “caller ID spoofing” to display an SFPD phone number or other official looking phone numbers on the victim’s caller ID to deceive them.

The SFPD is taking this opportunity to remind residents that it does not do the following: make cold calls asking for donations; call people to tell them about warrants; or ask for money, gift cards or wire transfers to pay off warrants.

The SFPD urges community members to be suspicious of strangers calling for money to pay outstanding warrants or fines as this is not proper departmental procedure. Those who receive these calls should not engage with the caller or give out personal information—they should hang up immediately.

“We encourage the public to share this information with their loved ones and any vulnerable people who may be potential victims of this scam,” said the SFPD in

a statement.

According to the SFPD, anyone who has received such a call and provided either personal identification information (such Social Security or Driver’s License numbers) or payment, should file a police report in the jurisdiction of their residence.