SANTA CRUZ, California — Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning on April 4, 2025, about scam calls where individuals falsely claim to be department employees, targeting the public with fraudulent demands. These scammers have used both local and nonlocal phone numbers unlinked to the sheriff’s office, aiming to deceive residents into paying for nonexistent late registrations, fines, or warrants.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office emphasizes that they never initiate calls requesting money, urging residents to stay vigilant. The best defense is to answer only known numbers and avoid sharing personal or private information with unverified callers. This scam mirrors a national trend—Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data shows over 1.3 million phone scam reports in 2024, with losses exceeding $10 billion, including a 15% spike in impersonation scams targeting law enforcement. Santa Cruz County, home to about 270,000 people along the coast, has seen similar fraud attempts before, like a 2022 case where scammers posed as IRS agents, as reported by KSBW 8.
The sheriff’s office encourages reporting suspicious calls to their office and highlights the FTC’s website (www.ftc.gov) for filing complaints. While the department focuses on public education, the rise in such scams raises questions about the effectiveness of current safeguards. Posts on X suggest local residents have received calls claiming unpaid parking tickets, a tactic not unique to Santa Cruz but effective due to its tourist-heavy population. The lack of a specific hotline in the release might limit immediate reporting, though the FTC option provides a broader avenue. Staying cautious remains key as scammers evolve their methods.
