Several local residents recently learned about this scam the hard way when they received large phone bills for unauthorized international calls. The residents received calls from an automated AT&T operator directing them to accept a collect call from the California State Police. After accepting the call, a person pretending to be a police officer informed them of a tragic traffic accident involving their loved ones. In order to find out more information, the victims were told they needed to call another officer by pressing *72 followed by another phone number. Pressing *72 activates a call forwarding feature on phones with AT&T service. Scammers use *72 to forward your calls to a pay phone or other involved third party, who then accept collect and third-party calls. You are billed for the charges incurred because the calls are being forwarded from your number. Further investigation by the Bear Valley Police Department revealed that local residents are being victimized by inmates from the Cook County Correctional Facility in One local resident immediately knew this was a scam, since the California State Police was absorbed by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in 1995. The resident said to the suspicious caller, “Don’t you mean the CHP?” The scammer say’s, “Yeah, that’s what I meant.” Other variations of this scam involve con artists pretending be phone company technicians who need the victim to dial *72 so they can get “remote access” to check the phone line for problems. The Bear Valley Police Department wants residents to know that no law enforcement agency would call you concerning an accident and ask you to dial a certain number for more information. If anyone calls and asks you to dial a strange code into your phone, hang up and report the call to your local police. The Bear Valley Police Department non-emergency phone number is 661-821-3239. If you think you may have fallen victim to the scheme, dial star-7-3 (*73) to deactivate the call forwarding feature.
Bear Valley Springs, CA, 9/22/08 - The Bear Valley Police Department is cautioning residents: If someone calls your home telephone alleging to be the California State Police, the California Highway Patrol, any Law Enforcement agency or a phone company employee and tells you to dial star-7-2 (*72) on your phone, don't do it - it's a scam.