Calls from city aren't for real

Residents have reported that they have received suspicious phone calls with the “City of Shafter” appearing in the caller ID.

Callers have given numerous reasons for the contact, including water bill issues, loans, etc.

The City of Shafter wants residents to know that these are not legitimate calls. The city will never ask for bank information, said Brittney Neal-Soberanis, project manager for the city of Shafter..

If you ever question the legitimacy of a call, the city encourages you to ask which department this person is calling from, hang up and call the city at 7661-46-5000 to confirm.

“We have received calls from residents that have the City of Shafter on the caller ID. Some say that it is a water bill issue or others that it is regarding a prospective loan,” Neal-Soberanis said.

She said that the caller would ask for the person’s bank account information. “We will never call a resident and ask for any bank information. If this happens, it is a scam.”

—Jamie Stewart