Scammers are calling the Temecula Valley. Here's how to stop them.

Plain-English warnings, local phone numbers and step-by-step help for seniors and the families who look out for them.

⚠️ This month's alert: "Move your money to keep it safe." Callers pretending to be your bank, Amazon or a government agency say your account is under attack and ask you to move your savings. No real bank or agency will ever ask that. Read how it works →

If it's happening right now

1. Hang up, or don't reply. It's not rude. It's smart.
2. Don't send money, gift cards, crypto or a wire. Don't hand cash or gold to a "courier."
3. Call someone you trust. Use a number you look up yourself, not the one the caller gave you.
4. Already sent money? Call your bank or card company right away, then use our Who to Call guide →.

The 3 lies almost every scammer tells

The FTC says impersonators who ask older adults to move money usually claim one of three things: someone is using your accounts, your identity is being used in a crime, or your computer has a security problem. (FTC, Aug 2025)

Why this matters

• People 60 and older reported $7.748 billion in losses to the FBI in 2025, up 59% from 2024. (FBI IC3 2025 report)
• The FTC says older adults' reported fraud losses grew about fivefold from 2020 to 2025, to roughly $3 billion. (FTC, Oct 2026)
• Most fraud is never reported, so the real numbers are higher.

Know the scams

• Bank and "Amazon" impersonators → Your bank will never ask you to move money
• Tech-support pop-ups → That pop-up is lying
• Government impersonators wanting gift cards → No agency wants gift cards
• Crypto "investment coaches" → The social-media investment trap
• Romance scams → Protecting a widowed parent online
• "Grandma, I'm in jail" and AI voice clones → Set a family code word
• Lottery and sweepstakes → You didn't win
• Medicare card scams → Guard your Medicare number
• Unlicensed contractors and caregivers → Check a license in 2 minutes

For families: a 10-minute safety talk

Agree on a family code word. Put the bank's fraud number on the fridge. Turn on account alerts. Agree that no one moves money on a phone call without talking to family first.

Get local alerts

Get one short email a week about scams reported in Temecula, Murrieta, Menifee, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Winchester and French Valley. Sign up

We're a local directory, not a law-enforcement agency. In an emergency, call 911.