Claremont Police Chief Shelly Vander Veen's Name Used In Social Security, Bitcoin Scam
CLAREMONT (CBSLA) — A warning was issued Monday about scammers posing as federal agents who threatened an arrest by an "Officer Vander Veen," which happens to be the last name of Claremont's chief of police.
A caller who claimed to be a federal agent told a Claremont resident on July 14 that her Social Security number had been compromised, Claremont police said. The resident was then told, in order to clear her name, she would have to withdraw money from her savings account, convert the money to Bitcoin, then transfer the funds into another account.
The caller said that if the victim did not cooperate, an "Officer Vander Veen" would issue a warrant for her arrest. The victim complied with the demands, and transferred a large sum of money, Claremont police said.
Judges issue warrants for arrest, authorizing police officers to arrest a person. Vander Veen happens to be the last name of Claremont's chief of police, Shelly Vander Veen.
Claremont police say that it's not unusual for scammers to use names they find on local law enforcement websites to make their scams sound legitimate, but real law enforcement agencies would not call and request a transfer of funds to Bitcoin.