KCSO warns of phone scam

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of a scam involving people pretending to be with the Sheriff’s Office.

On June 30, a person received a phone call claiming they had a felony warrant for failure to appear, and was given “instructions” regarding payment.

The would-be victim went so far as to go to the store and purchase gift cards. The suspect stayed on the phone the whole time, and knew the exact mileage it would take to arrive at the store.

The victim said as he was leaving the store, the suspect told him to give him the 13-digit card number, and it was at that point the victim realized it was a scam and hung up the phone.

In this case, the phone number appeared real, with a local area code and even a fake directory using the real names of our staff.

Normally, warrant payments are processed through the Kern County Superior Court, not KCSO. The Kern County Sheriff’s Office will never ask for warrant payment over the phone.

If you suspect a potential scam, make sure you call the real number for the agency or business. The Sheriff’s Office Communication Center can be reached at (661) 861-3110.