MENDOCINO Co., 10/13/17 — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is warning locals to be on the alert for scammers seeking to take advantage of people impacted by the wildfires. In messages sent out on social media today, the Sheriff’s Office asked people to “PLEASE be cautious of giving your personal information to anyone that calls and claims to be helping you because you’re a victim of the fire. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
The Mendocino Voice has also received reports from readers who encountered scammers, specifically ones preying on the elderly.
In a press release the MCSO explained that scammers have asked for personal details like social security numbers as part of an identity theft scam.
Here’s the press release from the MCSO:
DATE: “October 13, 2017”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
Mendocino Lake Complex FireCrime/Incident:
Public Service Announcement – Phone ScammersLocation:
Mendocino County Sheriff’s OfficeDate of Incident:
10-13-2017Time:
1:30 PMVictim(s):
N/ASuspect(s):
N/AWritten By:
Captain Gregory L. Van PattenSynopsis:
On 10-13-2017 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office learned residents of Mendocino County have been receiving phone calls from people claiming to be able to provide financial aid to fire victims.During these calls the caller has asked for personal information such as the resident’s social security number.
The public should be aware that these types of calls are from people trying to collect personal information for purposes of identity theft.
Residents are urged not to provide their personal information to anyone under these circumstances.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten
Anyone convicted of this scamming should be put against a wall and shot.