The California Highway Patrol has issued a warning for residents to stay vigilant following reports of phone scammers posing as “Amber Alert representatives,” offering to “register” children and asking people for sensitive information.
The alert was posted by CHP officials on the social media platform “X,” formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday. Since then, the CHP Newhall area office has also urged people to be aware of the scam on its social media pages.
Motives behind the Amber Alert scam remain unclear, but, “They are asking for personal information and they’re even offering to come to people’s homes, which raises some flags,” said Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez, public information officer for the Newhall office in a phone interview with The Signal on Monday.
The CHP is the only agency in the state of California authorized to issue Amber Alerts, he added, and if an officer were to contact someone, they will identify themselves and the agency they work for.
“I would just recommend people be very wary of people asking for personal information over the phone, especially if it’s somebody that you don’t know or you don’t trust and you’ve never met before in person,” he added.
An Amber Alert is “part of the nationwide Amber Plan and is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies and media broadcasters. The plan utilizes the latest tools and resources to quickly notify the public of an abducted/taken child,” states the California CHP website.
Burgos-Lopez also stated that in order for CHP officers to issue an Amber Alert it must meet the following criteria:
- Confirmation that an abduction has occurred or a child was taken by anyone, including, but not limited to, a custodial parent or guardian.
- The victim is 17 years of age or younger, or an individual with a proven mental or physical disability.
- The victim is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
- There is information available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the victim.
As of the publication of this story, the CHP Newhall office has not received any reports of residents in the area falling victim to the scam, said Burgos-Lopez.
If so, he advises people immediately call the CHP office at 661-600-1600 or visit the office in person at 28648 The Old Road, Valencia.
For more information about the CHP Amber Alert program, visit www.chp.ca.gov/Pages/Amber-Alert.aspx.
