Scam Alert Threatening Arrest Raises Bar, Questions

LOS ALTOS, CA -- In the category of 'what's new,' the police department warns residents Tuesday of a phone scam making the rounds that involves callers threatening retribution if there's no response to "serious allegations" of wrongdoing.

A Los Altos resident shared the voice mail that indicated that after the expiration deadline "you will be taken under custody by the local police." If the target doesn't answer, the caller asks to be called back.

Police informs the public to not call back. If the caller reaches the party, hang up and "never provide personal or financial information when pressured or threatened."

Law enforcement will never demand a resident subject to a criminal inquiry to rectify it over the phone.

Moreover, device makers and social media sites such as Apple and Facebook -- located here in the Silicon Valley -- have offered a big tip in terms of trying to weed out scams whether by phone, email or other means. If there are constant mistakes and errors of the dialogue verbally or in print, it's a scam run by a non-professional "moron," a representative for the Cupertino-based device maker and world's most valuable company declared before this reporter.

Apple-Facebook work together

And for more news on the human insects and computer bugs front, Apple announced Thursday it has fixed the FaceTime group chat bug that has allowed people to eavesdrop on unanswered group-video calls.

You just need to update. Software updates were just rolled out on the iOS 12.1.4 and macOS Mojave 10.14.3, nine days after the bug went viral on social media, CNN reported.

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