lying, fraud, Impersonating police Officer
Complaint
Calvin X
Country: United States
I started receiving restricted calls. I answer and he advises that he is Investigator Williams with the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and is looking for a family member. I advise him that I had not spoken with him for years. He asked me if I knew a certain person which I didn't. He starts naming other relatives and their phone numbers and asking me to get them to call him at 888.497.4460 ext. 2056. I called back and it had recording if this is emergency hang up and dial 911 etc. He calls back the next day and accused me of lying about the person I said I didnt know. I called the Sacramento Sheriffs office and they tell me they have no such number. I call him back and start to question him and he gets mad and starts yelling so I hang up. He calls back yelling saying he's going to investigate my whole family and hangs up. I call back and get busy signal every since. He has blocked my phone number from calling his office. I am thinking about report the fraud and officer impersonation to the Sheriffs Office.
Comments
The pattern matches several debt collection scams and cons, generally involving criminals attempting to extort unowed money through threats of arrest, often involving contacting family members in an attempt to panic people or their families into paying the unowed "debts". In short, an extortion racket.
"He starts naming other relatives and their phone numbers "
There are two general classes of such extortion gangs.
One group are reported to have thick indian or middle eastern accents, and to have obtained access to old payday loan data and also U.S. credit report data, which they are using to try to create the appearance of a legitimate debt. They may be calling from India or Pakistan, spoofing caller id. They usually try to con under a thousand, often demanding it be wired by Western Union.
The second pattern may involve any of several "debt collectors", some even set up as "businesses" taking credit cards, with examples known to be operating out of Buffalo NY, Jacksonville FL, Ohio, Illinois, Corona CA, to name a few locations. New York and Florida AGs have shut down several.
Again, they typically engage in threatening or abusive phone collection tactics, claiming to be law enforcement, or "attorneys", or court personnel, or "process servers", attempting to panic people into paying unowed debts through intimidation and threats. They often do NOT have foreigh accents, primarily engage in the abovve impersonations, and often are reported to threaten through calls to family, or work. It appears their goal is to create panic in the whole family, in an attempt to extort several thousand dollars, possibly from family members.
Google finds nothing on 888-497-4460. Normally, a legitimate debt collector, even if engaged in abusive calling, will show up within a few weeks of using a new number. Criminal extortion rackets often keep changing their numbers, either to hide their identity, or to make it harder to connect them ot other complaints.
"recording if this is emergency hang up and dial 911"
Similar rackets have been reported toeither spoof "911" caller id, or to use similar recordings. They have also claimed their "address" is various county court houses you can find on the web. The goal is to appear to be "law enforcement", or possibly district attorney employees or court employees, as part of their intimidation scheme.
"I call him back and start to question him and he gets mad and starts yelling "
That is not the response of real law enforcement. In fact, it indicates that yelling and threatening is all he can do.
Real law enforcement wouldn't be threatening you. They would either just serve you (if they have been hired to serve a summons), or they would have a warrant (not likely for just some civil debt), so they have no reason to yell or threaten.
"He calls back yelling saying he's going to investigate my whole family and hangs up."
That also indicates a criminal extortion racket, not legitimate law enforcement. Real law enforcement pulling that would be fired.
All of the above indicate they are fake, so any claimed "debt" is also fake.
" I am thinking about report the fraud and officer impersonation to the Sheriffs Office."
Don't just think about it. Do it. It is your civic duty, and it neutralizes their psychological pressure. Besides, they are criminals, who will prey on others.
Also report to the FBI. Include in your complaint the phone number, since that is the only real confirmed trail.