SAN ANTONIO – If you see random numbers light up your phone, you're not alone.
Whether it's an outstanding bill, a dream vacation for free or a donation to a local organization, scammers use all sorts of tactics to try and get your financial information over the phone.
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Max Massey sat down with SAPD to talk about how these calls can happen to anyone.
Q: What do you want people to know when it comes to phone scams?
Never under any circumstances give your financial information cover the phone who you do not know," said Officer Carlos Ortiz.
Scams are particularly a danger this time of year.
"People tend to get played off their emotions it’s Christmas -- the time of giving -- and the calls come in,” Ortiz said.
'The problem is many people don’t realize if they give any sort of financial information on the phone, it won’t just end there.
"They trick a person into giving money then they trick them into giving more and more money this is how they are basically giving money to people," Ortiz said.
Q: Have you have calls for scams like this before?
"On patrol I’ve actually made calls for people who have been scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars,” Ortiz said.
But it doesn’t end there, Ortiz said he has been targeted by scammers on his personal and his work phones.
"It said that I have some unpaid parking tickets and if I don’t pay them immediately I’ll be arrested," said Ortiz.
Ortiz said if you get a call like this, or any call asking for money be wary: Call police or call the organization they claim to be and verify before doing anything.