San Antonio police warn spoofed city phone numbers are being used in jury duty payment scams

Residents report calls that appear to come from City of San Antonio lines

San Antonio police are warning residents about a phone scam in which callers manipulate caller ID to make it look like the call is coming from a legitimate city government number. The calls often display a familiar local pattern: the 210 area code followed by a 207 prefix, a numbering format commonly associated with City of San Antonio departments.

The spoofed-caller tactic is designed to increase the chance that a person answers and trusts the interaction. In reported cases, scammers introduce themselves as law enforcement or city officials and claim the recipient failed to comply with a legal obligation, most frequently an alleged missed jury summons.

How the scam is described by authorities

The core message of the calls is typically urgent: the person is told they are in trouble with the legal system and must take immediate steps to “resolve” the issue. Police have said the callers may request a payment over the phone or instruct a target to transfer money to a specified account. San Antonio police state they do not contact residents by phone to demand payment or to instruct money transfers.

This local warning aligns with broader, documented patterns seen in imposter scams targeting Texans. Federal law enforcement agencies have publicly described similar operations in which scammers pose as court officers or law enforcement officials, cite alleged jury-duty or civil-process problems, and then demand payment as an alternative to arrest. Those schemes have also used spoofed government phone numbers and official-sounding identifiers—such as badge numbers, case numbers, and names of real officials—to make the calls appear credible.

Why spoofed numbers make verification difficult

Caller ID spoofing can display a familiar or trusted number even when the call is not originating from that line. As a result, the phone number on a screen is not, by itself, proof of a caller’s identity. Authorities describe this as a key reason residents should treat unexpected demands for money or personal information as red flags—even when the caller ID appears to match a government or city agency.

What residents can do if they receive a suspicious call

• Do not provide personal identifying information, banking details, gift card numbers, or payment confirmations to unsolicited callers.

• Do not follow instructions to transfer money, including through cryptocurrency-related transactions or other rapid payment methods.

• Independently verify the claim by contacting the relevant agency using publicly listed phone numbers obtained separately from the call.

• If you believe you were targeted or victimized, file a report with the San Antonio Police Department by calling the non-emergency number at 210-207-7273.

Key warning for residents: a phone number that looks like a city line can be spoofed, and demands for immediate payment are a common feature of impersonation scams.

Police say the safest approach is to pause, verify independently, and avoid any financial transaction initiated through an unexpected phone call—particularly one that uses fear of arrest or court consequences to pressure immediate action.