Scammers Impersonating Coworkers or Supervisors for Financial Gain

Published on February 13, 2025

Image of a man holding a cell phone with red triangle alert sign watermarks floating around it

The Los Alamos Police Department is alerting the public to a new scam in which individuals impersonate coworkers or supervisors. Scammers gather information about businesses, companies, and employees online or in person to make their impersonation seem credible. This is a phishing scam where criminals request sensitive information, money, or gift cards to be sent, mailed, or converted, resulting in the loss of information or funds. Variations of this scam have surfaced multiple times in Los Alamos over the past few years. Criminals use "spoofed" or fake phone numbers and reference real names to intimidate or urge victims to provide the requested information or to carry out actions that result in financial loss.

"We want to caution the public and local businesses to validate contact information with employees,” stated Deputy Chief James Rodriguez. "Businesses are encouraged to have their employees verify the sender of suspected messages, be wary of unusual requests, and hang up and initiate a call back if they feel the call, is a scam. If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and contact the Emergency Communications Center (ECC)."

If you have been targeted by this scam, please contact the Emergency Communications Center at 505-662-8222.