MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County District Attorney’s Office is warning residents and businesses about several fraud schemes circulating in the county, including fake government invoices, scams involving supposedly compromised financial accounts and real estate title fraud.
“Fraud affects everyone, whether through higher insurance rates, lost wages or threats to a family’s home and life savings,” District Attorney Jeannine Pacioni said. “Our specialized fraud units are working every day to protect Monterey County residents, but tips from the public are often the first step in stopping these crimes. If something feels suspicious, report it right away.”
The District Attorney’s Office is urging anyone who receives a suspicious payment request, money-transfer instruction or property document to stop, verify the request independently and report concerns to the office’s Fraud Hotline at 831-755-3224 or by email at Re*********@**************ey.gov.
Fake government invoices
Among the scams highlighted by prosecutors are fraudulent invoices that appear to come from Monterey County. The fake bills and emails target individuals and businesses with projects pending before the county’s Planning Commission or Zoning Administrator, demanding payment of permit fees and directing victims to wire money to accounts controlled by criminals.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, recent versions closely mimic official county letterhead, logos and language, making them more convincing than earlier attempts. Similar scams impersonating city and county governments have been reported nationwide.
Officials advise residents never to pay an unexpected invoice and to verify any bill directly with the county agency involved using a phone number listed on the county’s official website rather than one printed on a suspicious document.
Financial account scams
The office is also seeing an increase in scams targeting older adults. In those schemes, criminals pose as bank fraud investigators, government agents or tech support workers and claim a victim’s financial accounts have been compromised.
Victims are then pressured to withdraw cash, buy gold, deposit money into cryptocurrency ATMs or transfer funds into digital wallets controlled by scammers.
The District Attorney’s Office emphasized that no legitimate bank, government agency or law enforcement officer will ever ask someone to withdraw cash, purchase cryptocurrency or move money to protect it. Anyone receiving such a request should hang up and contact their bank directly using a trusted phone number.
Home title fraud
Prosecutors also warned about home title and deed fraud, in which criminals use forged deeds, fraudulent title transfers or deceptive tactics to convince homeowners to sign over ownership of their property. Seniors and families who have recently lost a loved one are often targeted.
Residents are encouraged to be cautious of anyone urging them to quickly sign documents affecting their property, consult a trusted family member or attorney before transferring any interest in a home and check with the Monterey County Recorder’s Office to review documents recorded against their property.
Specialized fraud units
The District Attorney’s Office said its specialized fraud units investigate and prosecute a range of crimes, including:
- Real Estate Fraud Unit, which investigates forged deeds, fraudulent property transfers, mortgage fraud, home title theft and timeshare scams.
- Auto Insurance Fraud Unit, which prosecutes staged crashes, fake injury claims and organized fraud rings.
- Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit, which investigates fraud involving medical providers, attorneys, employers and applicants.
- Disability and Healthcare Fraud Unit, which investigates fraudulent disability claims and dishonest medical billing.
- Consumer Fraud Unit, which investigates deceptive and illegal business practices that victimize residents and businesses.
Reporting fraud
Officials encourage anyone who suspects fraud or has already sent money to a scammer to report it immediately, noting that early reporting gives investigators the best opportunity to trace and recover funds.
Fraud reports can be made by calling 831-755-3224 or emailing Re*********@**************ey.gov. Consumer fraud complaints may also be submitted to co****************@**************ey.gov.
