Fake Cop Scams Woman

Police reminded residents Thursday to be skeptical of telemarketing scams, especially calls from law enforcement officials offering to help recover lost or stolen money for a fee.

The announcement comes as they work to identify a man who recently conned a woman into wiring nearly $3,000 to Mexico City on the pretenses that she had won $1 million dollars, according to police Sgt. Richard Lewis.

The woman reportedly received calls from someone posing as a Santa Monica Police Lieutenant, an FBI investigator and as director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Long Beach. The names the caller used were of actual officials whose names and contact information are posted online, Lewis said. 

The first call was from a "FBI agent" who claimed to have uncovered $1 million in Publisher’s Clearinghouse winnings meant for her but that been instead sent to Peru in 2002. He said she could claim her prize money by sending $2,900 via Western Union to Mexico City. 

She was suspicious until she received an unsolicited call from someone who identified himself as a Santa Monica Police lieutenant. He told her the “FBI agent” contacted him, too. Although he said he suspected a scam, he convinced her he was able to verify the "agent's” story.  The "lieutenant" told her it was safe to wire the money.

She did. While awaiting delivery of a package that was supposed to contain the $1 million dollars, she received a call from a man claiming to be with U.S. Customs. He told her the package had arrived, but was held up because of $6,000 in unpaid taxes.

"The flaw in this secondary plan was that the 'FBI agent' told her that there would be no additional fees after she sent the $2,900," Lewis said.

Unlike most other crimes, telemarketing scams require one essential element— victim participation, the police department said in Thursday's advisory.

It offered the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of phone fraud:

• Be suspicious of any offer that sounds too good to be true.
• Don’t give out your credit card, checking account, or Social Security number to any unknown callers and/or solicitors.
• Fraudulent telemarketers may pretend to be government officials, banking representatives or attorneys. 
• Be very suspicious of callers posing as law enforcement officials who are now offering to help you recover lost or stolen funds “for a fee.”
• Screen unsolicited offers by contacting the Better Business Bureau, local consumer protection agency, or the state Attorney General’s office before you agree to send money.
• Consult family, friends, and/or trusted advisors before making any major financial decisions resulting from a phone solicitation.