Southern California man scammed out of cash by fake U.S. Marshals agent

Authorities are warning about a new scam that involved a Ventura County man who sent funds to an out-of-state location after receiving a call from a fake United States Marshals agent.

The incident was reported by the victim, an Ojai resident, on March 28, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release Thursday.

After receiving a call from someone identifying themselves as a U.S. Marshals agent the victim was told he needed to withdraw all the money from his bank account and send it in the mail to an out-of-state location.

After sending the large sum of cash, the victim met with the Ojai police chief at the police station, where he realized he was the victim of a phone scam, the Sheriff’s Office stated.

The age of the victim was not revealed but the news release stated that millions of elderly Americans are targeted by financial fraudsters every year.

“It is common for criminals to impersonate family members, government agencies, technical support professionals, banking institutions, and others to steal money and information,” the Sheriff’s Office said.

Residents were offered the following tips to avoid financial scams:

• Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator.
• Never give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts.
• Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
• Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one.
• Nationally known and legitimate businesses will not demand payment by cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or overnight mailed cash, or courier services to collect any payments.
• Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies 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 in any form 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 device or account.
• Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity.
• Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls. Disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen. Pop-ups are regularly used by perpetrators to spread malicious software. Enable pop-up blockers to avoid accidentally clicking on a pop-up.
• Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you.

Residents who believe they are the victim of a scam were urged to contact the Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency number at 805-654-9511 to make a report. A complaint can also be filed online with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.ic3.gov.