Scammers impersonating West Hollywood sheriff's captain, LASD says

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is searching for the people accused of posing as high-ranking West Hollywood deputy. 

According to an advisory sent out by the department, detectives have received reports of scammers impersonating Captain William Moulder, the head of the West Hollywood station, hoping this will threaten them enough to buy into their grift. 

Detectives said that the impersonators scour the internet, including social media profiles, to gather information about their victims before contacting them. The scammers then call their victims sometimes masking their true phone numbers with contact information resembling a call from the West Hollywood station or other government agencies. 

They will often use Captain Moulder's name or claim they are another government official. 

In some cases, the scammers will threaten their marks by claiming they will arrest them for an outstanding warrant, claiming the only way to "resolve" the situation is to post bail by sending money with gift cards or cryptocurrency. 

Once they have convinced their victim, they will order them to provide gift card codes over the phone or to send the cryptocurrency to an address. They will often demand the victim stay on the phone until the codes or cryptocurrency has been delivered. 

Anyone with information should call the West Hollywood station at (310) 855-8850.