Scam Alert: The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office has become aware of a telephone scam in which fraudsters impersonate jail staff to solicit money. Scammers are calling residents, falsely claiming to be employees of the Shasta County Jail and are requesting payment for services such as medical or mental health services by utilizing a QR code payment system. These calls may appear legitimate, often using caller ID spoofing to display official-looking numbers, but they are entirely fraudulent.
If you receive a phone call like this, it is not legitimate. The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and the Shasta County Jail will not request or accept payments over the phone for any services. Residents are urged to be cautious and never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers. If you receive such a call, do not engage—hang up immediately and report it to your local law enforcement agency. Anyone who has fallen victim to this scam should also contact law enforcement.
