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Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Friday January 31st, 2025 :: 03:30 p.m. PST

Community

Grand Jury Phone Scam - Using Fake Sheriff’s Office Information and Bitcoin ATMs

Nature of Incident: Grand Jury Phone Scam - Using Fake Sheriff’s Office Information and Bitcoin ATMs
Location: Ventura County
Date: January 2025
Unit(s) Responsible: Headquarters Investigations
Narrative:
 
The Headquarters Investigations Unit has become aware of a recent phone scam targeting Ventura County residents where the scammer is representing themselves as a member of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
A caller claiming to be Sergeant Locker from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office with a fictitious badge number has called several Ventura County residents claiming they missed a grand jury summons. The scammer then informed the victims they owed $1,500 in court fees. The victims were instructed to use CoinFlip terminals (also known as Bitcoin ATMs) to buy Bitcoin and transfer the Bitcoin to the scammer’s cryptocurrency wallet. The scammer gave the victims detailed instructions on how to conduct the Bitcoin transactions. The cryptocurrency wallet was emptied and the telephone number used by the scammer was disconnected after the funds were transferred.
The victims were unable to get their money returned due to the nature of cryptocurrency transactions. The phone numbers used in the scam were internet phone numbers created by the scammer and canceled after the scam was completed.
The Sheriff’s Office wants to warn the public of scammers representing themselves as members of Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, especially someone attempting to use the fictious name Sergeant Locker. Furthermore, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office will not ask anyone to pay fines using cryptocurrency or gift cards and will not ask for payment over the phone.
County courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in a telephone call or email. Most contact between a county court and the public will be through the U.S. mail, and any contact by legitimate court officials will not include requests for Social Security numbers, bank or credit card information, and they will never ask for a payment with cryptocurrency or gift cards.   
 
     Tips to Protect Yourself Against Scams
  • Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator. 
  • Never give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts. 
  • Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. 
  • Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses. 
  • Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. 
  • Government or law enforcement officials will not demand payment by cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or overnight mailed cash, nor contact a subject by phone to notify that they are under investigation. 
  • Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals, nor demand immediate payment or require payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or mailed cash. 
  • Legitimate lotteries and beneficiaries do not need to pay upfront taxes and fees to claim a prize or inheritance. Playing foreign lotteries in any form is a violation of federal law. 
  • Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you do not know and be wary of email attachments forwarded to you. 
  • Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account.
  • Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity. 
  • Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls. Disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen. Pop-ups are regularly used by perpetrators to spread malicious software. Enable pop-up blockers to avoid accidentally clicking on a pop-up. 
  • Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you. 
If you receive a suspected scam call, we recommend citizens hang up, block the number (if possible), and do not send the scammers any money. If you are unsure or concerned you may be involved in a scam, you can contact your local police station using their official phone number and not the number provided by the suspected scammer. If you are a victim of a scam, please contact the Sheriff’s Dispatch non-emergency number at 805-654-9511 to make a report. You can also file a complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or the Federal Bureau of Investigation at www.ic3.gov. 
 
  
Prepared by: Detective Jonathan Schnereger  
News Release Date: 01/29/2025  
Media Follow-Up Contact: Detective Jonathan Schnereger (805) 654-2890, Jonathan.schnereger@ventura.org  
Approved by:
 
 
Booking Photo Release: 		Captain Greg Gibson
 
 YES    NO  		  
       
 
Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime.  The caller may remain anonymous.  The call is not recorded.  Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Address/Location
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
800 S Victoria Ave
Ventura, CA 93003

Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-654-9511

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