Gustine Police Department want residents to be aware of scamming methods

A Gustine resident received a call from an anonymous scammer on Saturday night, Gustine Police Department officials reported.

The caller used a local “854” prefix, police said. Scammers use the method “spoofing,” officials said, meaning they can input any phone number they want “to get you to answer the phone.”

Anyone can purchase “spoof” cards through websites and mobile apps, police said, and want the public to be aware that scammers can easily create local phone numbers.

This story was originally published May 7, 2017 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Gustine Police Department want residents to be aware of scamming methods."