Sheriff’s Office warns community about new computer and courier scams hitting the area

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ventura County Sheriff's Office issued a press release Wednesday about new scams that has been reported in the Thousand Oaks area.

According to the Financial Crimes Unit in Thousand Oaks, a recent spike in theft by false pretenses have been reported and investigated recently.

Here is how the scams work.

Scammers reach out to potential victims -usually through unsolicited emails- and portray themselves as employees of a legitimate company such as PayPal, Geek Squad, or eBay and advise the victim about a fraudulent purchase on their account detailed the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The scammers will offer to help by providing a phone number to call and get help with the alleged fraudulent purchase added the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office noted that the numbers used in the scam are internet generated and are discarded after the scam is over.

Scammers then inform victims that the fraudulent purchase will be reimbursed to their accounts and the fake customer service representative will claim they mistakenly entered the wrong dollar amount -like $15,000 instead of $150- explained the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, scammers then demand that the victim return the overpayment to them and in many cases, scammers already have access to victim's personal accounts and have money moved into the accounts to make the fake accident seem real.

In some cases, scammers have required victims to download applications that allow scammers remote access to the victim's personal computer as well as convinced victims to provide personal identifying information -such as user names, passwords, or Social Security numbers- giving scammers full access to victim's personal accounts shared the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Scammers then direct victims to withdraw the overpayment from their financial institutions in cash to pay them back stated the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Withdraws of such large amounts automatically trigger suspicion by bank tellers and victims are coached to say the money is to make a large purchase or payment, such as buying a vehicle or making home improvements, explained the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

After withdrawing the cash, victims are told that a courier will be arriving at their home to collect the money and victims are given a code word to give to the courier to make the exchange appear legitimate detailed the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, some scammers use couriers who are in on the scheme while other scammers hire drivers with companies such as Uber or Lyft who have no idea about the scam.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office warns that because the funds are withdrawn voluntarily, victims rarely recover the lost funds even though it was part of a scam.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office stated that no reputable company will make a mistake issuing reimbursement amounts and would have the ability to correct any improperly submitted amount and most importantly, no reputable company would require anyone to repay funds via error through a courier service.

Scammers often rely on pressuring victims with a sense of urgency added the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

If you receive a scam call, text, or email, it is recommended that you hang up, block the number, and do not send any money shared the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, contact law enforcement on an official number and not any number provided by the suspected scammers.

The Ventura County Sheriff's non-emergency number is 805-654-9511 and you can also submit a tip online to the Federal Trade Commission or the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office offers the following tips to keep you and your money safe:

• If you recognize or suspect a scam, cease communications
• Never provide unknown or unverified people remote access to your devices or accounts
• Be cautious of unsolicited calls, mail, and door-to-door service offers
• Never give or send personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers often create a false sense of urgency to induce fear and lure potential victims into acting before thinking. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to you or a loved one
• Nationally known, legitimate businesses will not demand payment by cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or overnight mailed cash, or couriers to collect payments
• Legitimate customer, security, or tech support will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals, nor demand immediate payment, or require payment through prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, mailed cash, or use a courier service
• Legitimate lotteries and beneficiaries do not need to pay taxes or fees upfront before prizes or inheritance can be claimed
• Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don't know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you
• Take additional precautions if a scammer gains access to your devices or accounts
• Immediately contact your financial institution to place additional protections on your accounts and monitor your account's transaction history for suspicious activity
• Make sure your computer's anti-virus and security software is up to date
• Disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a suspicious pop-up message or locked screen
• Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers use details shared online, such as social media or dating websites, to better understand potential targets