December 8, 2023
Written by Josh Friedman
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam targeting local residents during the holiday season.
On Wednesday, many people reported being contacted by someone claiming to be from the sheriff’s office, telling them they were scheduled to appear in court for jury duty. Officials said the caller ID was spoofed to be a real phone number, making it appear as though the call was from the sheriff’s office.
The caller informs the resident that the problem can be resolved by paying the fine in Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. One resident nearly lost $1,700, but the transaction was unsuccessful, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff is warning residents that calls like this are scams. The Sheriff’s Office does not contact residents by phone regarding such issues and asks anyone who receives a scam call to report it to their local law enforcement agency.
