A Hillsborough resident is out a staggering $2.7 million after a brazen phone scam that started with a caller claiming to be from AT&T and ended with a massive wire transfer to an international bank account, according to local police.
Authorities say the complaint was filed at the end of May and that the victim, believing they were cooperating with an investigation, followed detailed instructions over a series of calls before sending the money overseas. As reported by the San Mateo Daily Journal, Lt. Robert Kalkbrenner said the initial caller transferred the resident to someone posing as an Interpol investigator, who walked them through the bogus fraud prevention steps that ultimately led to the loss.
How the Scheme Unfolded
According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, the caller claimed the victim’s AT&T account had been flagged for fraudulent activity tied to an international criminal organization. That warning set the hook.
The resident was then connected to the fake Interpol contact, who allegedly framed the wire transfer as part of a legitimate investigation. Investigators told the paper the victim realized something was wrong only after the so-called investigator stopped responding and the wire transfer could not be reversed right away.
Scams Are Getting Costlier
Police say this case is just one local example of a growing national trend. The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report cites roughly $20.9 billion in reported losses and lists government impersonation and wire transfers among the most common tactics used by scammers. The report from IC3 also flags cryptocurrency and AI-related fraud as major drivers of losses.
The Federal Trade Commission stresses that wiring money is essentially like sending cash and that once funds are gone, they are very hard to recover. FTC guidance urges anyone who has been tricked into sending a wire to contact their bank and the wire company immediately and to report the fraud to authorities as quickly as possible.
What to Do If You Get the Call
Officials say the best defense is to shut things down early: hang up if a caller pressures you, demands secrecy, or insists you move money for your own protection. Instead, they advise verifying any alarming claim by calling back from a phone number you look up yourself, such as the one on your bill or an official website, and by refusing to follow instructions from a stranger on how or where to transfer funds.
The Town of Hillsborough lists the police nonemergency line as (650) 375-7470 for residents who want to verify a suspicious call or file a report. Authorities also encourage scam victims to file complaints with the FBI’s IC3 portal and the FTC so investigators and banks can freeze or claw back fraudulent transfers. The Town of Hillsborough provides police contact information and additional local safety resources.
