New Phone Scam Tells Victims They Must Pay Thousands Of Dollars Or Face Arrest

HEMET (CBSLA.com)  —  Police in Hemet have put out an urgent warning to residents about a new phone scam.

CBS2's Crystal Cruz spoke to one woman who scammers targeted. They called her and told her she was facing imminent arrest if she didn't pay $1,800.

"I answer, this guy told me this is the Hemet Police Department," says Mayra Navarro.

The mother got a call Wednesday from what looked like Hemet Police.

Their number popped up on caller ID and this call  was marked "important.

"You don't understand how serious this is. You're going to jail tomorrow," she says, "I was crying all morning, even my kids were crying."

The caller claimed  Novarro owed money, knew her address and said there was an arrest warrant out for her.

She was given a Washington DC phone number to call and pay $1,800 to avoid jail.

"I was like I'm going to jail and told my husband I'm going to the police," she told Cruz. "I was scared for my kids. Were they gonna see me in jail?"

Police told Navarro she was the target of a scam artist.  An app -- possibly used an to change the suspect's caller ID to Hemet Police -- makes the call appear legit.

"I don't take calls from no one. Not even the police department," she said.

Cruz reminds, police will never call and tell you you owe money and they will not call you to tell you you're going to be arrested.