scam

There are currently some scams currently spreading through the area from phone calls from IRS and Department of Justice impostors.

The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are calling members of the public as part of an impostor scam. The department strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.

People around the country are receiving mysterious seed packets in the mail from China. While the shipping package may be mislabeled as jewelry or other merchandise, the contents are instead unlabeled seeds.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has become aware of a number of reports regarding these seeds.

Some have been mailed to homes in El Dorado County.

El Dorado County Department of Agriculture officials are instructing residents not to open, plant, or dispose of any unsolicited seed packets received, but to contact their office.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) and the El Dorado County District Attorney Vern Pierson are investigating possible illegal and improper predatory towing practices.

SLTPD has received several informal complaints from the public about the possible illegal tow practices that involve cars removed from private parking areas near the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe.

The complains involve a tow company improperly holding stored vehicles longer than necessary, thus adding extra storage fees to the vehicle's owner.

On Thursday, Dec. 12, a federal jury returned indictments against six defendants who made false claims for benefits in connection with the 2018 Camp Fire and received funds from FEMA to compensate for their losses, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE. Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is warning the public of a current phone scam being received in the city.

The scammers claim they have kidnapped a loved one and use that person's name. SLTPD received several calls from the public Thursday. The scammers use the name if a loved one, a close relative or child's. They demand money.

The call is an international one, coming from India.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

8/14

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Another telephone scam is being reported to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and they want to make sure residents, especially the senior population, are informed.

This latest scam is much like others in the past. Unidentified callers are telling the person answering the phone they have a warrant issued from the FBI. The scammer is seeking large sums of money, generally $2,000 to $,5000, be sent via the mail in the form of pre-paid gift cards.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

5/2

The El Dorado County Family Caregiver program is offering a six-week series of classes designed to provide instruction and support to caregivers who are or are planning to care for a family member or friend age 60 or older.

It started on April 15 but participants can still join and attend any or all of the remaining sessions. This series is offered twice a year.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

4/6

People playing the popular Scrabble-like digital game 'Words With Friends' are now the target of scammers who prey on unsuspecting people. This scam, along with a resurgence of IRS scams, has come to the attention of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).

A scam to get social security numbers from unsuspecting residents is growing exponentially and losses of $10 million were reported in the last year.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A scammer attempted to get money out of a South Lake Tahoe business owner on Thursday, December 20 by pretending to be from the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD).

The call came into the business from what looked like the police department's main phone line. The person on the other end told the owner he owed money on old credit cards and would be arrested if he didn’t pay up. The caller gave him a number to call, 512-333-2304, and when he called they asked for $1985.

He hung up and called police.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

11/14

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

7/11

Customers of Liberty Utilities on both the north and south shores of Lake Tahoe have been targeted again by scammers demanding cash payments to avoid shut off of their power over the weekend.

Liberty Utilities' customer service reps are getting calls from customers to advise them of the demands.

The scammers appear to be legit at first, reciting the customer's account numbers to them.

At this time Liberty Utilities does not know how they obtained the account information. They have contacted the appropriate law enforcement agencies to let them know about the situation.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

2/21

2:44 p.m. - Petty Theft - Kickapoo St - DEPUTIES RESPONDED FOR THE REPORT OF A SCAM WHERE THE VICTIM LOST MONEY.

2/22

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

2/7

2:28 a.m. - Spousal Battery - South Lake Tahoe - 28-YEAR-OLD FEMALE ARRESTED FOR SPOUSAL BATTERY.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South Shore. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at time of story.

Some of those recently added to last week's log:

12/27

7:04 p.m. - Theft - Crystal Air Dr - A MALE SUBJECT ATTEMPTED TO BOOK A VACATION HOME RENTAL VIA AN AD ON THE INTERNET. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THE AD WAS A SCAM.

12/28

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF. - A man posing as a South Tahoe Public Utility (STPUD) employee tried to gain access to a home off North Upper Truckee over the weekend.

“Over the weekend a customer received a knock at the door and the man asked to be let into the house to shut-off the water because the customer did not pay their bill on time,” said General Manager, Richard Solbrig. “Luckily, our customer did not let the District impersonator in as he was not wearing a District uniform nor driving a District truck.”

STPUD will never:

Shut-off your water for non-payment on the weekend.

The South Lake Tahoe Police Department has received multiple reports regarding a phone scam to local residents. Callers are identifying themselves to potential victims as an employee of the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). These phony IRS Agents inform the victim they have a warrant for their arrest or owe taxes. This is a scam. Callers claiming to be from the IRS tell intended victims they must pay using a pre-paid debit card, credit cards or wire transfer. The scammers threaten those who refuse to pay with arrest, deportation or loss of a business or driver’s license.

The is a current scam in California that targets people enrolled in public assistance programs in the state. Though there are no known victims in El Dorado County, the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) would like to let all users of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to be on the lookout for potential scammers using text messaging.

OCTOBER 9th Common Scams/Preventing Elder Abuse
Presenter: Michelle Ward, Attorney—El Dorado County Senior Legal Services
Address issues regarding scams directed towards seniors and how to prevent your loved one from being abused financially by these scam artists.

OCTOBER 16th Healthy Living for your Brain and Body

Location

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Three Liberty Utilities customers have fallen victim to aggressive phone scams over the last two days taking at least $2,500 from the victims.

In each case the crooks pose as a Liberty Utilities collections representative who threatens to shut off their power if payment was not made within a specified period of time. Sometimes the caller has specific customer information such as last payment amount; Liberty is unaware of how this information has been obtained.