805 Area Code Scam Call

Common 805 Scams

• Government & Law Enforcement Impersonation: Scammers pose as the Department of Justice or local Sheriff's offices. They may claim there is a warrant for your arrest or a problem with your license to demand immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers.
• "One-Ring" Scam: Your phone rings once and then stops. Scammers hope you will call back, which connects you to a high-toll international number that racks up expensive per-minute fees.
• Fake Prize/Lottery: You receive a call or text claiming you won a prize (e.g., Publisher's Clearing House) and must pay "taxes" or "fees" to collect it.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Calls claiming to be from a "California Department" offer to forgive student loans to steal personal data.
• Wrong Number "Pig Butchering": A seemingly accidental "Hello" or "Do you have a minute?" text aimed at building rapport before pitching a fake investment.

How to Protect Yourself

1. Do Not Answer Unknown Calls: If it is important, a legitimate caller will leave a voicemail.
2. Verify Independently: If a caller claims to be from a bank or agency, hang up and call the official number listed on the official government website or your statement.
3. Register for the National Do Not Call Registry: This helps reduce legitimate telemarketing, making it easier to spot illegal scam calls.
4. Report It: File a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or with the FCC.