SFPD warns residents about spoofed police calls seeking personal data

Scammers were using spoofed SFPD numbers to solicit personal information, and San Francisco police warned residents that real officers never make unsolicited calls asking for confidential data. Hang up, then call back using a known official number, including the SFPD non-emergency line at 1-415-553-0123.

Caller ID can be forged to make a phone screen display a trusted government number or nearby police line even when the call comes from somewhere else. Legitimate law enforcement officers do not threaten arrest over the phone to force payment, and they do not demand money by cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment apps or wire transfer.

SFPD has warned before about the same tactic. In April 2021, scammers were calling residents, claiming they had outstanding warrants or had committed crimes, and demanding fines while displaying an SFPD number or another official-looking number. More recently, impersonation scams have targeted San Francisco’s Chinese community, including a March 2025 case in which one victim lost $23,000 after wiring money. Staff who speak Mandarin, Cantonese and Toisanese were available to help victims.

The department’s Financial Crimes Unit handles phone scams, identity theft, elder financial abuse and other fraud. Those schemes often target elderly people, low-income residents and business owners. Residents who receive a suspicious call can also file phone or electronic scams as police reports online, and they can report the fraud to the FTC or the FCC. Do not trust the number on the screen, and do not give out personal data until the call has been verified through a known official channel.