Scammers targeting El Dorado County residents

During the past two weeks, several El Dorado County residents have been the target of scam artists attempting to obtain money from them. The scammers are not from the area and use internet based phones which allow them to select a local area code. They have been identifying themselves as local law enforcement and tell the call takers that they have missed jury duty and that a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The scammers tell the victims if they don’t pay, they will be arrested for the warrant. In most cases the caller has told the victim the amount of the warrant was $5,500.00.

There have been approximately fifty reports in regards to this called in to the dispatch center of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s office (EDSO). In one case, a local bank called and reported that an elderly female was attempting a withdrawal of $6,000.00. The bank felt the elderly female was possibly being targeted by a scam artist. An EDSO deputy was sent to the bank and spoke to the elderly female. She told the Deputy that she received a phone call from a male who identified himself as Lieutenant Allen from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. The Deputy obtained the phone number and contacted the subject. The unknown subject confirmed that he was in fact attempting to scam money from the elderly female and boasted that he was experienced at doing this and would not be caught.

EDSO is letting the community know that their office does not contact people by telephone to advise them of warrants or to solicit/collect money for warrants. If you are contacted by anyone identifying themselves as a member of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office or any other government agency and they are soliciting money, do not give them anything.

If you have been the victim of this scam and suffered a monitory loss or have information that would assist in this investigation please contact the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Detective’s Unit at (530) 642-4703.