By El Latino Newsroom
redaccion@latinocc.com
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents about a sophisticated phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers and demand payments through cryptocurrency transactions.
The scheme has affected multiple residents who were falsely informed they had missed a grand jury duty summons and faced legal penalties unless they paid fines immediately.
Victims reported receiving calls from individuals claiming to be members of the Sheriff’s Office, including a scammer using the fictitious identity of Sergeant Locker with a fake badge number.
These individuals instructed their targets to purchase and transfer $1,500 in Bitcoin using CoinFlip ATMs. After the victims completed the transactions, the scammers disconnected their phone numbers, making it impossible to recover the stolen funds.
Authorities stress that the Sheriff’s Office, as well as the court system, never solicits payments over the phone, particularly via cryptocurrency or gift cards.
Official communications from the courts are conducted primarily through the U.S. mail, and legitimate officials will never request sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers or banking details, over the phone.
Residents are urged to be cautious when receiving unexpected calls from individuals claiming to be law enforcement officers.
If a caller pressures someone to act immediately, it is a strong indication of a scam. Hanging up and reporting the incident to local authorities is the best course of action. Additionally, ensuring that all electronic devices are equipped with the latest security software can help prevent potential cyber-related fraud.
Anyone who suspects they have been targeted by this scam is advised to block the phone number and cease all communication with the caller.
Those who have already fallen victim should report the case to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency number at (805) 654-9511.
Complaints can also be filed with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
For further inquiries or assistance, Detective Jonathan Schnereger can be reached at (805) 654-2890 or via email at Jonathan.schnereger@ventura.org.
