Sheriff—s detectives warn Woodside residents about surge in phone and bank impersonation scams; freeze credit recommended

Detective Baggetta told attendees at a Woodside Town senior workshop that identity-theft and imposter scams have frequently targeted local residents and reviewed steps to reduce risk.

Baggetta said the town produced identity-theft pamphlets and offered concrete red flags: requests to pay with gift cards, callers who insist you not hang up, and messages that spoof bank or agency phone numbers. He described a recent case in which a caller convinced a victim to call their bank and then used that connection to access accounts; the alleged suspect was outside U.S. jurisdiction, limiting local enforcement options.

The detectives recommended practical protections: freeze credit files with the three major credit bureaus (an action they said takes about 15 minutes total), verify any unusual bank activity in person with a bank representative, and consult a trusted family member before transferring money. "Any good business person or banker or anything I'm sorry, I need to hang up for a minute, confirm something, and call you back," Detective Storch said, noting that insistence you stay on the line is a red flag.

Officers also warned about scams that impersonate court or law-enforcement officials to demand immediate payment and urged residents to report such incidents to the sheriff's nonemergency number. They said many scam calls originate overseas and that blocking numbers is imperfect because scammers spoof local area codes.

The seminar included advice for seniors—who are frequently targeted—on setting up second-person checks with bankers or family members before sending money, and on using locked mailboxes to reduce theft of mailed financial documents.

The session materials and a recording will be posted on the Town of Woodside website.