Captain William Moulder and the Detective Bureau team at the West Hollywood Sheriff’s station have provided information to share regarding fraud cases reported by our residents.
Contact the West Hollywood Sheriff's or call at (310) 855-8850.
In all of the cases we reported on, those West Hollywood residents could have avoided suffering a financial loss by following a couple steps:
Are you being asked by someone on the phone to pay someone through unusual means? Companies usually do not ask for payment via gift cards.
Are you being asked by someone on the phone to pay for something by wire transfer? Have you searched online for the company’s phone number and called them yourself to confirm payment information?
Have you been told by someone on the phone you’ve won an award, but you have to pay the taxes for it before you can receive your winnings? (This is a scam that’s been around for a long time.) Search for the rewarding agency’s telephone number and call them to verify your winnings.
Is someone from a policing or court agency asking for payment over the phone to clear up a law enforcement matter? Search for the agency’s telephone number and call to verify.
Are you tempted to lease an apartment online without seeing the leasing agent in person or obtaining a signed lease?
By taking an extra minute to think through these situations, you can avoid the risk of financial loss.
