Placer Sheriff warns against scams after victims lose nearly $600,000

The Placer County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday seven Placer County victims have lost nearly $600,000 to scams since January. According to the Sheriff's Office, the most recent case occurred last week when an individual claimed to be a Placer County Sheriff's deputy and convinced a victim to send $18,000 in Bitcoin for an arrest warrant. Other victims included an individual who lost nearly $80,000 when the suspect accessed his LifeLock account after advising his membership needed to be renewed, and two individuals who were scammed out of $4,500 and $475,000 after being advised their computer was infected with a virus. "If you get a call from someone identifying themselves as an employee of the Placer County Sheriff's Office or any agency/company, they will NEVER ask you for money in the form of gift cards, Bitcoin, etc.," the Sheriff's Office confirmed on its Facebook page. The Sheriff's Office also confirmed agency employees will not ask for money in exchange for keeping electricity on, dropping arrest warrants or fixing your computer. The Sheriff's Office encourages individuals to hang up and research the number to confirm the information they are being told, and to file an online report with local law enforcement so the latest scam trends can be tracked. An online report with the Sheriff's Office can be filed at placer.ca.gov/2298/Online-Crime-Reporting. USA.gov also provides the following tips to guard against becoming a victim of a phone or online scam: Be cautious of caller ID, as scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen. Research business opportunities, charities or travel packages that are offered. Don't give in to pressure to take immediate action. Don't send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card. Don't provide your personal information, credit card number or bank account information to a caller. Don't reply to or click any links in a spam message. Don't believe someone just because they say they are from the government or an official-sounding agency.