Rialto, CA — The Rialto Police Department is alerting the community to a recent wave of phone scams targeting elderly residents. In these incidents, scammers call victims and falsely claim that a loved one has been involved in a traffic collision and is being held against their will until a wire transfer of funds is made.
Victims are instructed to go to Walmart to transfer money. When Walmart employees refuse to process the transaction, the scammers then direct victims to local grocery stores such as Cardenas or El Super to complete the transfer. After the initial payment is made, the victims are repeatedly told to return to Walmart or other stores to send additional money.
The Rialto Police Department urges the community to remain vigilant and recognize the signs of a scam by following three simple steps:
STOP: Be cautious whenever you are asked to immediately wire money, pay with gift cards, or provide personal or financial information over the phone.
CHECK: Verify that the caller is truly who they claim to be before taking any action.
ALERT: Report suspected scams to your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission at 877-FTC-HELP.
For additional resources such as Tips for Avoiding Scams, Common Scams, and Tips for Scam Victims, visit the following website: https://oag.ca.gov/consumers/general/internetphonescams. Additionally, we encourage everyone to share this information with friends and family to prevent others from falling victim.
If you or someone you know receives a suspicious call matching this description, do not comply and contact your local law enforcement immediately.
For immediate release:
Office of Chief Mark Kling
Lt. Mills
Investigations Division
JMills@rialtopd.com
Date: May 16, 2025