Scams on the rise on the South Shore, targeting people as tax returns come in

Just as people are seeing some extra cash in their pocket with tax returns being processed, scams are on the rise in South Lake Tahoe, and elsewhere, trying to cash in on the extra dough.

In South Lake Tahoe last week, a woman who was selling furniture was caught up in a scam that ended up costing her $1,500, the same price she was selling the items for. According to El Dorado County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Seligsohn, scams are getting more sophisticated such as the vacation rental scams, but the sold furniture scam this victim fell for is very common.

The criminal answered the victim's ad, said they wanted her wares and they'd send a check for $3,200, $1,500 for the purchase, $1,500 for the courier and $200 for her trouble. By the time she had paid the courier and given up her furniture, the check came back to the bank as a bad one. She is out the furniture and the cash.

"People should not take checks, not even bank checks from people they do not know," warned Seligsohn. "It is very easy to make fraudulent checks."

A local boat company, Lake Tahoe Boat Rides, received a text message Wednesday from a person saying they wanted to reserve their boat for an upcoming group and wanted the boat company to charge their credit card for $6,000. The charge for the boat was only $2,000 and the "tour company" wanted Lake Tahoe Boat Rides to pay the tour bus the different as the bus company didn't take credit cards.

Lyndsay Bryant of Lake Tahoe Boat Rides said they received the same request last year but didn't fall for either one and are reporting this one to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

Just last week, five different residents of the city called SLTPD, saying the IRS just called them, demanding money. Most of these potential victims didn't fall for it and called police immediately, but two of them weren't so lucky.

The IRS will not call residents, demanding money, and will never ask people to go buy cash loaded debit cards to pay them with over the phone. While this scam is not new, victims are still paying.

Another scam that has at least three local victims starts with a phone call to a business from someone claiming to be Liberty Utilities, and if the business owner wants to keep the power on for customers, they need to pay $1,000 immediately. The power company will not call a business and threaten like that.

Lt. Brian Williams of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department said scams appear to be on the rise, and it could be attributed to people having their tax returns and some extra cash to spend.

"They’ll find creative ways to take your money," said Williams of the scammers.

He said a common scam this time of year is made by door-to-door contact by someone claiming to be able to save the victim money by sealing their driveway, or by selling them asphalt from a road project they just finished...or many others along this line. There were a few cases in Douglas County recently where the homeowner paid money to have the asphalt delivered but it never came.

Williams said that people should be leery of unsolicited offers of mobile car and home repair, driveway sealing, etc. by people coming to doors.

"See their contractor's license and info on their work truck, and business cards first," said Williams. He added that it is better to do business with someone you call as there are reputable businesses in town to contact for the work or supplies.