Paso Robles Police return over $10,000 to scam victim after stopping uninvolved Uber driver

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (KEYT) – An Uber driver and a Paso Robles resident were unknowingly involved in a scam involving the loss of over $10,000 that was successfully thwarted by local police Wednesday.

On April 22, officers responded to a report of suspicious activity at a Paso Robles home that involved an Uber driver stated a press release from the Paso Robles Police Department Thursday.

On Friday, the Paso Robles Police Department shared additional details about the attempted scam.

The victim was contacted by a man pretending to be a Deputy District Attorney who said that the victim's relative had been involved in a traffic accident, and he demanded $10,600 to release the relative from custody detailed the Paso Robles Police Department.

The scammer gave precise instructions regarding the payment.

According to Paso Robles Police, the scammer told the victim to withdraw the cash from her bank, but not to mention to the purpose of the large withdrawal and instead told the victim to say the money was for a contractor working on her home.

Bank employees will often ask why customers are withdrawing large sums of cash and scammers know that those questions can lead to them being caught.

After taking out the cash, the scammer guided the victim to package the payment and use a rideshare service that they had arranged to ensure the transaction while remaining on the phone explained the Paso Robles Police Department.

Investigators quickly identified the third-party Uber driver and gave them a call shared the Paso Robles Police Department.

The money was returned to the local resident and it was determined that the Uber driver did not know about the scam, but the identity of the perpetrator of the scam remains under investigation explained the Paso Robles Police Department.

The incident remains under investigation and anyone with more information or experiencing a similar crime is asked to contact their local police department.

The Paso Robles Police Department stated that debt collectors and government organizations will never send a courier to your home to collect or settle a debt and the use of non-traditional forms of payment, such as gift cards or cash, should not be used through a third party as payment.

Other red flags noted by the local law enforcement agency include a sense of urgency created by the scammer, impersonating authority figures, and telling victims to lie to bank employees about their withdrawal.

When in doubt, speak with bank staff or law enforcement officials before sending payment.