Recently we have had two victims report attempted phone scams to the Police Department. The most recent cases involved an unknown party using “care.com” as a contact method to interact with the victims. Please be careful when dealing with unknown parties requesting money, services, or favors. Some common attempts include:
• Email or text from someone that is not local to your area.• Vague initial inquiry, e.g. asking about “the item.” Poor grammar/spelling.
• Western Union, Money Gram, cashier check, money order, PayPal, shipping, escrow service.• Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face to complete the transaction.
These are just a few red flags that you should be aware of. Included here is a link to a detailed article on the Federal Trade Commission’s website: FCC website
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the Atherton Police Department at (650)688-6500.