Fresno County issues warning on scam calls posing as Social Services

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Fresno County wants to warn the public about scam callers that seem legitimate and provide tips to avoid them.

Fresno County said its Social Services Eligibility team may contact residents for scheduled appointments, to clarify information on an application, or for required Quality Control reviews.

The county said staff may ask callers to confirm basic information to verify their identity before discussing a case.

The county emphasized that staff will never ask for an EBT card PIN or request payment of any kind over the phone.

Staff will never ask for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps, and will not seek unsolicited personal financial information.

A common scam involves callers claiming a person needs to “reset your PIN” and then asking for an EBT card number and PIN.

[RELATED] California bill would widen judges’ power to deny mental health diversion in violent cases

Residents who are unsure whether a call is legitimate are urged not to share personal or financial information, to hang up, and to look up the official county number and call back to verify.

If you are unsure of a call, you can report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.