Bakersfield, California – The Bear Valley Police Department has issued a warning regarding a possible scam in the Tehachapi area involving a person impersonating a law enforcement officer.
A senior deputy at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) Tehachapi Substation received a report from a resident who said they had been contacted by someone claiming to be “Lieutenant Robert Bivens” of the Bakersfield Police Department. The resident reported that the impersonator told her to contact a specific deputy about a possible warrant.
Upon investigation, the KCSO discovered that the aforementioned deputy was unaware of the situation and had never contacted the reporting party. The Sheriff’s Office believes this was an attempted scam and is currently investigating the incident.
Police advise that if you are contacted by someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer and are unsure of their legitimacy, you should ask for their full name, badge number, and the agency they represent. It is critical to independently verify this information by contacting the agency directly with official contact information rather than those provided by the caller.
