Santa Cruz County DA’s Office warns of wildfire scams
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KION) The Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office said it is aware of several scams taking advantage of communities affected by wildfires, and it is warning people to be on the lookout.
Some of what it has heard of includes GoFundMe accounts that are not benefiting those affected by wildfires, people posing as PG&E employees to get money or access to homes, people requesting gift cards to support a fundraiser and calls requesting money to support a group helping wildfire victims.
To prevent becoming the victim of a scam, the DA's Office says:
- Know that legitimate businesses will not require gift cards to pay for anything.
- Make sure a cause is legitimate before donating. One of the legitimate ways to donate or volunteer to help firefighters and evacuees released by the county can be found here.
- Do not give out personal or financial information to an unknown source over the phone.
- Do not let callers pressure you into anything.
To report a scam in Santa Cruz County, call 831-454-2050 or fill out an online form here that can be emailed to cfep@santacruzcounty.us or mailed to Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office, Consumer Fraud Protection Division, 701 Ocean Street, Room 200, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
