The phone scams have not stopped. The scammer will seem friendly, maybe use your first name, and then claim to have information about a family member.

These scams generally target the elderly population. The scammer may even provide the name and birthdate of a grandchild; using this information to feign credibility.

Recently, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station has taken reports from victims that have been scammed anywhere from one to two thousand dollars.

“In both cases, the scammer (posing as a law enforcement official), asked the victims to post bail for their grandchild,” stated Sergeant Chris Maurizi, who heads the Station’s Burglary/Fraud Unit.

“If you receive a phone call from anyone who you believe is calling in an official capacity, request a phone number and a name of a supervisor in order to verify employment,” Maurizi cautions, “No official organization representing a city, county, state or federal agency would ever ask for gift cards, nor would they solicit money for bail.”

Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station urges the public to share this information with any elderly family members so that they may not become the next victim of a phone scam.

If you have been a victim of a telephone scam, you can report it to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, or you make a complaint on-line with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov