Oceanside Police warn residents of phone scam

OCEANSIDE (CNS) – Oceanside police Thursday issued a warning about a new phone scam in which the perpetrator impersonates a real cop and tells victims they have won a sweepstakes.

The caller introduces himself as Oceanside police Lt. Aaron Doyle and informs the call taker that he or she has won $100,000 from Publisher’s Clearing House and all he or she has to do to collect is send a $1,000 processing fee to Mexico, OPD Lt. Leonard Cosby said.

If victims search “Lt. Aaron Doyle” on the Internet, they will learn he is a real member of the Oceanside Police Department quoted frequently in news stories.

However, he is not the person making these phone calls, according to Cosby.

“There are a number of flaws with this scenario,” he said. “The Oceanside Police Department is not a notification service for PCH or any other sweepstakes center. Nor are members of the department allowed to engage in these activities off-duty and to claim to represent the department in this manner.”