Scammers Posing As Fremont Police In Emails. What To Know

FREMONT, CA — Police are warning the public of another scam impacting Fremont residents.

Scammers are impersonating officers and sending emails to residents that appear to come from the Fremont Police Department, authorities said.

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"If you're not expecting any communication, be cautious—do not open attachments or click on links," the Fremont Police Department said in a statement on Monday. "Stay safe and protect your information."

Details about the scam or what the scammers are asking for are unclear. Authorities said people should treat any unexpected email with caution.

SEE ALSO: Fremont Man Charged In $20K 'Microsoft' Scam Against Elderly SoCal Man: Prosecutors

Phishing or spoofing emails have been around for some time, but police say scammers are "always developing new tricks."

These can include "vishing," scams over the phone, voice email, "smishing," which happens through text and "pharming," which is when malicious code is installed on a computer to redirect people to fake websites, according to the FBI.

"Criminals count on being able to manipulate you into believing that these spoofed communications are real, which can lead you to download malicious software, send money, or disclose personal, financial, or other sensitive information," the FBI said.

The FBI recommends the following to avoid becoming the victim of a phishing scam:

• Remember that companies generally don't contact you to ask for your username or password.
• Don't click on anything in an unsolicited email or text message. Look up the company's phone number on your own (don't use the one a potential scammer is providing), and call the company to ask if the request is legitimate.
• Carefully examine the email address, URL, and spelling used in any correspondence. Scammers use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust.
• Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don't know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you.
• Set up two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication on any account that allows it, and never disable it.
• Be careful with what information you share online or on social media. By openly sharing things like pet names, schools you attended, family members, and your birthday, you can give a scammer all the information they need to guess your password or answer your security questions.

This isn't the first time Fremont residents have been targeted by scammers.

Residents in the happiest city in the country were warned in August about fraudsters impersonating city workers and demanding money.

In July, a Fremont woman lost thousands in a "package-drop" scheme when a scammer pretended to be an FBI agent and made her take part in a "sting operation."