The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of scams targeting older adults and local businesses.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, scammers are calling or emailing older adults who are told they have won a large sum of money through a sweepstakes.
“Thankfully, most of the recipients of these emails and calls recognized these were fraud attempts and did not provide any personal identifying information or funds,” said the Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s officials also said there has been an increase in Mendocino County businesses reporting individuals trying to complete transactions using stolen checks or fake cash.
The Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that “if it sounds too good to be true, it is likely fraud,” and provided the following tips to avoid fraud:
- Do not provide any personal identifying information to anyone on the telephone or by email.
- Do not agree to pay any fees or fines to accept large sums of money or prizes as this is a fraud attempt.
- If cashing checks, please require multiple forms of identification and examine every check and call the bank before providing money.
The Sheriff’s Office asks anyone who receives a suspicious phone call or email to contact them at (707) 463-4086.
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