San José residents are being hit with a slick new twist on an old con: callers pretending to be cops or government agents who claim your money is in danger, then hustle you into draining your accounts, buying gold, or loading up gift cards for safekeeping. By the time a supposed courier shows up or a meet-up is arranged, the only thing getting protected is the scammer’s payday.
Today, the San José Police Department’s Financial Crimes and Burglary Unit warned that these impersonators are leaning hard on fear and fake urgency, pressuring people into snap decisions before they can check whether anything is legit. Some victims are told to hand over cash, gold, or cards to a courier, or to meet someone in person so their money can be secured, a setup that can quickly turn into a clean theft.
In a detailed advisory on Facebook, the San José Police Department stressed that real officers and government agencies will not send couriers to collect money or valuables, will not order you to withdraw funds from your bank, and will not threaten to arrest you on the spot if you refuse to pay. Anyone who believes they were contacted by one of these callers is urged to use the city’s non-emergency line at 408-277-8900 or email [email protected] to file a report…