Detectives in Livermore are tracking more than a dozen slick phone scams preying on local seniors, and the losses are adding up fast. In some cases, victims have been taken for thousands of dollars as callers pretend to be bank staff or law enforcement and pressure people to move money in a hurry.
Police say the scammers lean hard on urgency, insisting targets withdraw or transfer funds immediately. The department is practically begging residents not to send cash, bitcoin, or money by mail to anyone who phones out of the blue, and to simply hang up on suspicious calls. To help neighbors spot the tricks before they hit, a free, detailed Scam Awareness presentation is set for mid-April.
What Livermore police shared
In a Facebook reel posted March 24, 2026, the Livermore Police Department said detectives have already investigated more than a dozen reports, with losses ranging from roughly $4,000 to more than $25,000, according to the Livermore Police Department. The post warns that scammers may pretend to be from your bank or from law enforcement and tell victims to "move" accounts or pay using cryptocurrency, cash, or mailed payments.
Officers urge residents to hang up on any call that feels off and to confirm unexpected requests using only phone numbers from statements, the back of your debit or credit card, or other official materials, not from the caller.
How the scams typically play out
These imposter scams are built on fear and speed. Callers claim there has been fraud, a warrant, or an account compromise and then push people to quickly transfer money or buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, which are notoriously hard to trace once the funds are gone.
The Federal Trade Commission notes that legitimate banks and law enforcement will not call you to demand payment, ask for gift-card numbers, or instruct you to move money to another account to "protect" it. Those moves are textbook warning signs of an imposter scam. If someone on the phone wants you to purchase bitcoin, pick up gift cards, or mail cash, the advice is simple: stop, hang up, and verify the story on your own before doing anything.
Where to get help and next steps
Livermore police are reminding residents to end suspicious calls immediately, then contact their bank using the number printed on the back of their card. Residents can report scam attempts to the department’s non-emergency line, or call 911 if there is an immediate threat.
The department’s crime-prevention page also lists a free Scam Awareness presentation led by Officer Don Swanson at Cedar Grove Community Church on April 15, according to the Livermore Police Department. For those who believe they have already lost money, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center is accepting online reports at IC3.
Local outreach and context
Livermore police have been running community scam-prevention presentations for several years, with a particular focus on older adults. Reserve Officer Don Swanson has led dozens of these events and, as the Pleasanton Weekly reported, has reached roughly 2,500 people since 2023, according to Pleasanton Weekly.
That outreach is aimed at seniors because scammers often take advantage of unfamiliarity with newer payment systems and technology, making in-person education one of the department’s front-line defenses. Community organizations can request the presentation through the police department’s website.
