Technology Crimes

Telephone Scams

Impersonation of a Lawyer: Claims that a family member needs bail money.
IRS Scam: Caller says you have a warrant for arrest from the IRS.
Lottery or Prize Scam: You are told you have won money but must pay a deposit first.
Tech Support Scam: A caller says your computer needs urgent maintenance.
Police Impersonation: Someone claims there is a warrant for your arrest from the police.
Charity Request: A caller asks for donations for a charity that does not exist.
Travel Scam: You are told you have won a free vacation.

Internet Scams

Fake Pop-Ups: A window appears, claiming you need to download antivirus software for a virus.
Ransomware Threats: A message demands money to release your files or information.
Shipping Scam: A job asks you to ship packages for someone else.
Clickbait Ads: Ads that can "phish" your information or install malware.
Generic Buyer Scam: Someone offers to pay more than your asking price for an item.
Credit Repair Scam: A service asks for your personal information to "fix" your credit.
Remote Computer Repair Scam: A caller asks for remote access to your computer under the guise of doing repairs.

Email Scams

Phishing Emails: Fake emails pretending to be from a legitimate company.
Loan Pre-Approval Scam: Requests your personal information to "approve" a loan.
Fake Surveys: Emails asking you to complete a survey to obtain personal information.
Bank Alerts: Fraudulent emails claiming to be from your bank to steal your information.
Payment Update Requests: Asks you to update your payment information.
Suspicious Attachments: Emails with attachments that could contain malware.
Extortion Threats: Demands money to keep private information from being released.
Ransomware Emails: Requests money in exchange for your password or access to your data.

What can I do?

I provided personal identifying information to an unknown entity.

Monitor you're your credit report and financial accounts, or others also exposed or compromised.

I provided personal financial information to an unknown entity.

Monitor you're your credit report and financial accounts, or others also exposed or compromised. You also need to inform your financial institution and it is recommended going into your local financial institution and report the activity or interaction.

The person was aggressive on the phone and made it seem urgent that I provide them what was requested.

Typically, if a subject has contacted you personally and is requesting monetary payment (gift card/wire transfer), the subject will likely try to keep you on the phone. The subject will likely pressure you into making payment an urgent manner to resolve the “scam.” The subject may even get upset, threaten you, and use vulgar language.

What NOT to do

Do not use gift cards to pay scammers
Do not share personal information
Do not give financial details
Do not share login credentials
Do not make your passwords public
Do not provide payment information
Do not always trust caller ID
Do not just click links without thinking twice about it

Additional Resources

Still Unsure? Contact Lincoln Police Department or visit the following sites to report scams or educate yourself further:

Contact Us

Police: Non-Emergency
Police Department
770 7th Street
Lincoln, CA 95648
Phone: 916-645-4040
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