In a sting launched by Alameda Police Department [1] (APD) in late May, officers arrested a suspect in a scam operation attempting to defraud an Alameda resident of more than $100,000.
[2]Detectives had been alerted to the scam, which began with a fake pop-up message on the victim’s computer, according to an APD report on Facebook [3]. The message instructed the victim to call a fraudulent tech support number. The caller, posing as a representative of a legitimate company, claimed the victim’s computer and bank accounts had been compromised.
After lengthy phone calls with individuals posing as tech support employees, bank personnel, and law enforcement officials, the victim was instructed to withdraw cash from their accounts, the APD report stated. A fake courier was then sent to collect the money under the pretense of protecting the funds.
This scam had been perpetrated on multiple Alameda residents and has led to significant financial losses, so when APD detectives were alerted to an active attempt to defraud another Alameda resident, they quickly launched a successful sting operation that resulted in the arrest of a Manteca man after he retrieved a package that he believed contained currency from the victim.
APD urges the public to remain cautious about their finances, offering the following advice:
- If you receive an unsolicited email [4] or an unexpected pop-up message while browsing the internet, do not click any links or call any phone numbers it lists. These typically lead to a scammer.
- Legitimate companies and government agencies will never send couriers to collect money, request secrecy, or pressure you into urgent financial decisions.
- If you receive a suspicious message online, close the web page immediately.
- When in doubt, consult a trusted professional or loved one before taking any financial action.
This investigation remains ongoing while detectives continue to follow up with reports of similar incidents, the APD report stated.