Residents of Thousand Oaks have been hit by an evolving phone and computer scam that uses courier services to swindle victims out of their cash, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office warned in a recent release. Scammers are impersonating reputable companies like PayPal, Geek Squad, and eBay to inform victims about unauthorized purchases on their accounts and then dupe them into returning non-existent overpayments.
The con begins with an unsolicited email, alerting the recipient of a fraudulent charge which the scammer offers to correct. Victims end up contacting a bogus support representative via provided internet phone numbers, which are deactivated post-scam. These criminals have been able to access the victim's bank accounts, making it seem like erroneous deposits have been made. Detective Jason Cashmark from the East County Investigations Bureau disclosed that in some cases, "the scammer had been able to access the victim’s bank account prior to the “reimbursement” and move the victim’s money from within their own accounts so it would appear to the victim the accidental deposit had occurred."
The con artists then convince victims to go to their banks, withdraw cash under pretenses, and hand it over to a supposed courier. These couriers, sometimes unknowingly involved, like Uber and Lyft drivers, are used to collect the money using codewords to appear legitimate. Unfortunately, many victims are left unrecompensed as banks categorize these withdrawals as voluntary.
Avoid falling prey by recognizing scam attempts and resisting pressure to act hastily. "Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action," the release warned. Any requests for repayment for overpayment errors via a courier service should be a red flag, as no legitimate company would handle errors in such a manner. Also, be skeptical of unsolicited contact from seemingly reputable customer, security, or tech support companies that ask for immediate payment or personal information.
If you suspect a scam or if you've become a victim, it's advised to cut off all communication with the scammer, reinforce your device security, and contact the police using their official contact numbers. Additionally, information leading to the arrest and charge of the culprits may fetch a reward of up to $1,000 through Ventura County Crime Stoppers. They can be reached at 800-222-TIPS (8477), and callers may remain anonymous as calls are not recorded.
