Irvine police warn of scam artists calling to get fines

The Irvine Police Department said Sunday that authorities have received reports of an unknown person claiming to be with law enforcement in an effort to collect money or outstanding fines.

"We understand receiving a call from a police department can make people nervous, but scammers rely on fear to get people to act quickly," according to a police statement. "Scammers can manipulate caller identification information to make it appear they are calling from government agencies like IPD."

Irvine police urged the public to ask callers for their name, identification or badge number, a telephone number and what section of the police department they work for.

Residents were advised to call the police department at 949-724-7000 and verify the identity of the person who called them.