Escondido police warn residents of phone scam

ESCONDIDO (CNS) – Escondido police Tuesday warned people against falling for a telephone scam in which crooks pose as an emotional relative or friend of the family in need of bail money.

But Escondido police have only holding cells. People arrested in Escondido have to wait to be transferred to county jail in Vista before they can be bailed out.

Police said several victims or would-be victims notified them about the suspicious calls. Lt. Eric Skaja said the crooks sometimes cried or persuaded the target to call another number, where an accomplice poses as a jailer to back up the story and to arrange a payment.

Skaja warned people against giving personal information over the telephone. Suspicious calls can be reported to Escondido police by calling (760) 839-4722.