The Fremont Police Department put out a warning on social media Wednesday about an uptick in texting scams relying on public information to scare people into sending money.
These scams, according to the department, tend to include scammers sending some kind of disturbing imagery and then identifying information about the recipient. They then demand money to keep that person or their loved ones safe.
“These scams are meant to elicit a high emotional response,” wrote the department, “and cause the victim to send money out of fear for themselves or their family.”
The department added that information such as names, phone numbers and addresses are relatively easy to find in public records and do not necessarily indicate a person is in danger.
The solution in most cases, according to the department: simply don’t respond to the message.
If someone does believe that their or their family’s life may be in danger, they should report it to the FPD.
More information about scams can be found on the FPD website.
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