Placer Sheriff recovers $97K taken in wire transfer scam

The Placer County Sheriff's Office reported $97,000 has been recovered for a Granite Bay resident involved in a recent scam. According to the Sheriff's Office, the victim was contacted by an individual posing as a fraud department representative from a well-known national bank and claimed several branches were under investigation due to increased fraudulent activity. The caller also claimed the victim's accounts had been compromised and instructed her to visit the bank in person to wire her money to new accounts to protect her funds. During the call, the victim unknowingly provided the caller with remote access to her account. The Sheriff's Office reported although the victim had her two-factor authentication enabled, she read the verification code to the suspect, giving them full access to her online banking. According to the Sheriff's Office, the suspect read recent transactions from the victim's account to establish further trust and directed her to keep the phone line open and turn her screen off while in the bank. Following the suspect's instructions, the victim completed two wire transfers, totaling more than $120,000, thinking she was safeguarding her money. "This was a complex and sophisticated scam carried out by very convincing scammers," the Sheriff's Office stated on Facebook. The Sheriff's Office confirmed its department responded to the fraud report in November 2024, gathered key information and handed the case to Detective Kim of its Property Crimes Unit. Detective Kim secured a search warrant for bank records connected to the theft and investigators were able to recover $97,000 of the stolen funds. The Sheriff's Office reported the money was secured with its Evidence Unit pending the case outcome, and the court authorized the release of the funds this month, reuniting the victim with nearly $100,000. "The Placer County Sheriff's Office continues to work hard to prevent scams and fraud - and when possible recover lost funds for victims," the Sheriff's Office said. The Sheriff's Office reminds the public legitimate banks will never ask you to transfer money to a "safe account" or read back security codes. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and call your bank directly with the number on your card or from the official website.