Ventura Sheriff’s warn community of marked increase in scams targeting residents

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The Ojai Investigations Bureau of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office issued a press release Thursday about a recent incident they investigated that is an example of recent scams targeting people in the area.

On March 28, 2025, an Ojai resident reported that they were the victim of a scam stated a press release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

The person on the other end of the line identified themselves as a U.S. Marshal and told the Ojai resident he needed to withdraw all the money in his bank account and send it via mail to an out-of-state address detailed the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

After the victim sent a substantial amount of cash, he was instructed to meet with the Ojai Police Chief at the station shared the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Once the Ojai man arrived at the station, he realized he was the victim of a phone scam explained the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

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

If you are unsure or confused, the Ojai Police Department asks that you reach out for a second opinion from a relative, friends, a neighbor, or law enforcement especially if the person asks you to send money in any form.

You can contact the Ojai Police Station at 805-646-1414, but do not use the number provided by suspected scammers even if they claim to be law enforcement.

If you are the victim of a scam, contact the Sheriff's Department's non-emergency dispatch at 805-654-9511 to make a report.

Additionally, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission here or with the Federal Bureau of Investigation here.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 alone, a 25 percent increase from the previous year.

Here are some additional tips from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office to prevent you from adding to this year's fraud claims:

• Try to recognize scam attempts and all communications with suspected scammers
• Never give unknown or unverified people remote access to your devices or accounts
• Be cautious of unsolicited calls, mailings, 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 produce fear and lure victims into acting before thinking. Call law enforcement immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or your family
• Nationally known and legitimate businesses will not demand payment by cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or overnight mailed cash, or courier services to collect payments
• Legitimate customer, security, or tech support services will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals nor demand immediate payment or require payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, mailed cash, or use courier services
• Legitimate lotteries and beneficiaries do not need to pay upfront taxes and fees to claim a prize or inheritance. Playing foreign lotteries is a violation of federal law
• Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you do not know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you
• Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your devices or accounts
• Immediately contact your financial institution to place protections on your accounts and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity
• Make sure your computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Disconnect from the internet and shut down you device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen
• Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers often use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you