Health officials report 3-1 scam rate in state calls

The California Department of Public Health has logged a series of fraudulent calls across the state, prompting local agencies to issue a specific warning to their communities.

Pasadena Public Health Director Manuel Carmona issued the alert on Wednesday, identifying a pattern where scammers impersonate government health officials to extract personal and financial data. Carmona noted that while no specific incidents had been recorded in Pasadena at the time of the announcement, the state agency had received multiple reports of the scheme.

The fraudsters use high-pressure tactics to compel immediate action. Callers often claim that a prescription was filled in the victim's name and demand personal information to clear the record. Some threats include legal consequences or the cancellation of existing medications. In more advanced stages of the scam, callers transfer victims to video conferences with individuals posing as police officers or other authority figures. These imposters use fake uniforms and staged backgrounds to appear legitimate.

Scammers frequently utilize the names of actual public health employees, fabricated badge numbers, and falsified caller ID information to build trust. They may request sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, credit card information, birth dates, or driver's license numbers. Some callers also direct victims to download specific applications for video calls or attempt to gain access to personal devices.

Officials emphasized that legitimate public health calls, such as those for disease contact tracing, will never request payment information or data unrelated to a person's health status. Carmona stated in a statement that the department wanted residents aware of individuals impersonating public health officials to obtain personal information. He encouraged the public to remain vigilant against both phone and online scams.

Some victims have been instructed to meet at a specific address in Sacramento or have received repeated calls and threatening text messages following the initial contact. The scammers rely on the victim's urgency to bypass standard verification procedures.

Residents who receive a suspicious call are advised to hang up immediately. They should then contact the California Department of Public Health at 916-558-1784. Individuals who believe they have been victims of fraud should contact the Pasadena Police Department at 626-744-4241 and report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.