False ad circulating in South Lake Tahoe, promising Mexican Consulate appointments

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Once a year the Mexican Consulate visits South Lake Tahoe to assist residents in preparing and renewing their documents. The South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center coordinates the visit and has been booking free appointments for 2024 since January.

This year, that visit is on Saturday, September 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Bijou Community School Cafeteria but all appointments have already been booked.

There is a third party sharing an advertisement on social media (see above) that promises an appointment on the 28th and they are collecting fees for the appointment.

Appointments booked with this group will not be honored by the Mexican Consulate.

"We have reported the fraud to the Consulate and they have confirmed that they will not be able to serve people who were fraudulently signed up," said Karen Goldberg, executive director of the Family Resource Center. "We have posted on our own social media and newsletter about the fraud and fielded multiple calls."