Pasadena Public Health Department Warns About Scam Callers Seeking Personal Information

PASADENA, CA — Residents were warned Wednesday about scammers posing as public health officials to steal personal and financial information.

While no incidents have been reported in Pasadena, the California Department of Public Health has received reports of the scam.

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Both state and local public health agencies may contact people for legitimate reasons, including disease contact tracing. However, Pasadena officials said such calls will never include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card information or information unrelated to a person's health.

"We want to make Pasadena residents aware of scams involving individuals impersonating public health officials to obtain personal information," Pasadena Public Health Director Manuel Carmona said in a statement. "We encourage everyone to remain vigilant about phone and online scams."

Callers have falsely claimed that a prescription was filled in someone's name and demanded personal information to "clear their record," officials reported. Some have transferred people to video calls with someone posing as a police officer or another authority figure, using a fake uniform and staged setting.

Scammers may use public health employees' names, fabricated badge numbers and falsified caller ID information to appear legitimate. They may ask for birth dates or driver's license numbers, direct people to download apps for video calls, or try to gain access to personal devices.

The callers often pressure people to act immediately by threatening legal consequences or canceled prescriptions. Some have directed people to meet at a Sacramento address or followed up with repeated calls and threatening text messages.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call should hang up immediately and contact the California Department of Public Health at 916-558-1784. People 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.