An elderly Ojai couple nearly fell victim to two scam artists, possibly calling from overseas Wednesday night, according Capt. Mike Aranda, a spokesman for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
The caller, posing as an FBI agent, told the couple that they were entitled to a large sum of money, according to Aranda.
They were told a local law enforcement agent would be calling them to follow up and to make arrangements for the money to be delivered, Aranda said.
“They were told all they had to do was wire a sum of money to receive their funds,” he said.
The couple, who wishes to remain anonymous, received a second call Thursday morning from someone who identified himself as Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean, according to police.
The couple was told to meet at the sheriff’s office at 1 p.m. Thursday to receive the required paperwork, Aranda said.
They showed up to the sheriff’s office because they felt it was suspicious, and that is when they became aware they were being scammed.
“They saw I had a puzzled look on my face when they said they were there to see Sheriff Dean,” Aranda explained. “The sheriff is really good at keeping his appointments and he was already in a meeting.”
The couple, according to police, was smart enough to say “we’re not going to give up our hard-earned money until we know for sure.”
Law enforcement wants to remind the public that no law enforcement officer will ever notify anyone of any winnings, lottery or other inheritance, said Aranda.
“Remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” he said.
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