How to resolve AdBlock issue? Sheriff's office issues advisory on IRS phone scam
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It's tax time again, and with taxes come scams related to the Internal Revenue Service.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office has issued an advisory to make the public aware of an aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers – including recent immigrants – that has been making the rounds throughout the country and Lake County.
Callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not, sheriff’s officials said.
These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers.
They may know a lot about their targets, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a preloaded debit card or wire transfer.
If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
Or, victims may be told they have a refund due to try to trick them into sharing private information.
If the phone isn't answered, the scammers often leave an “urgent” callback request.
The IRS will never do the following:
– Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill;
– Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe;
– Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card;
– Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or
– Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
– If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.
– If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484 or at www.tigta.gov .
– If you’ve been targeted by this scam, also contact the Federal Trade Commission and use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at www.FTC.gov . Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.
Remember, too, the IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue involving bills or refunds.
For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Sheriff Martin gives presentation to Clearlake City Council
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council heard an informal presentation from Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin when it met last week.
Martin said at the April 9 meeting that he wanted to introduce himself to everyone, including the public, who might not know him and extend his services – and that of his department – to the city and its residents.
Members of the council and Police Chief Craig Clausen told Martin that his presence and his leadership are refreshing.
“We are partners in this community,” Martin said. “The issues you have in Clearlake, we have in the county as well.”
Martin recognized a need to “mend relations” with numerous agencies throughout the county.
He said the department has “revamped” its value statement and staff is living up to those expectations.
Martin described briefly recent law enforcement activity including an incident in which county and city emergency agencies collaborated to achieve the location and safe return of a young girl.
Both Martin and Clausen commended the mutual assistance rendered throughout the search.
The council also heard a presentation from members of the newly-formed “Citizens Caring For Clearlake,” who strive for the beautification of the city.
The group sang its rendition of “Imagine,” transforming the song into a ditty about picking up trash and working together to make the city better.
Councilman Bruno Sabatier read into record a proclamation designating April 2 as Autism Awareness Day to rounded out the agenda's presentations.
In its first item of business, the council affirmed an exemption from requirements of mandatory commercial organics recycling.
The statute, AB 1826, Recycling of Organic Waste, was signed into law last year. It requires businesses that generate a specific amount of organic waste per week to arrange for recycling services for that organic waste.
City Manager Joan Phillipe said there is a provision in the law that allows an exemption from all requirements for counties with a population less than 70,000 until Jan. 1, 2020.
In its final order of business, the council denied a proposed donation of land at 16036 and 16046 14th Avenue citing the property to be inaccessible and unsuitable for development including park creation.
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Police investigate stolen vehicle in connection to Lakeport burglaries
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is investigating a report of a stolen vehicle that it said may be connected to burglaries in a city neighborhood on Tuesday afternoon.
A 1994 Ford F150 pickup, white with a green stripe, was taken from Royale Avenue late Tuesday afternoon, the agency said. Police said the pickup's California license plate number is 4W91769.
Police said the pickup may have been taken by a male subject who was being sought for burglaries that occurred earlier in the day in the area of the 300 block of Sixth Street.
Just before 3 p.m. officers responded to a report of a male subject who was burglarizing a residence and loading the stolen items into the victim's pickup truck. The subject fled toward Fifth Street with a hammer in his hand.
Police described the male subject as a white male adult, in his late 20s or early 30s, 6 feet tall with a thin build, short dark brown hair and a goatee, and wearing a black shirt, cut-off jean shorts and black skate shoes. He has tattoos on his arms and hands.
Officers located five firearms and a bag of ammunition in the victim's pickup truck which didn't belong to the victim, police said.
The man may have fled Lake County in the stolen vehicle and police currently have a “be on the lookout” issued to law enforcement.
Anyone who sees the stolen Ford pickup is asked to call 911 and not to approach the subject, who may be armed and dangerous.
Police also are investigating the possibility that the same male subject may have been involved with another stolen vehicle – a green Ford Explorer out of Santa Rosa – that was recovered from the parking lot of the Lake County District Attorney's Office a short time before the Sixth Street burglaries.
As of late Tuesday, police said no one had come forward to claim the recovered long guns, shown in the photo above, and officers have been unable to confirm if the suspect has stolen any other guns.
Anyone who recognizes stolen guns is asked to call the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491, Extension 32.
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Lakeport Police Department issues alert for man believed responsible for burglaries; subject seen downtown
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is urging the community to be on the lookout for a male subject who police believe is responsible for at least one burglary – and possibly more – on Tuesday afternoon.
The report said officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Sixth Street just before 3 p.m. to investigate the report of a male subject who was burglarizing the residence and loading the stolen items into the victim's pickup truck.
Police said the victim saw the subject, who fled toward Fifth Street with a hammer in his hand.
The subject is described as a white male adult, in his late 20s or early 30s, 6 feet tall with a thin build, short dark brown hair and a goatee, and wearing a black shirt, cut-off jean shorts and black skate shoes. He has tattoos on his arms and hands.
Officers located five firearms and a bag of ammunition in the victim's pickup truck. The firearms were determined to not belong to the victim, according to the report.
Police believe the firearms may have been stolen from another residence in the vicinity and placed there by the burglar.
Another residence from across the street also was burglarized, and the Lakeport Police Department said it's believed that there are other locations that were burglarized that have not yet been reported.
Lakeport Police and Lake County Sheriff's units currently are searching the Lakeport area, with police receiving reports citizens shortly before 3:30 p.m. that the male subject was in the downtown Lakeport area.
Police said it's unknown at this time if the suspect is in possession of any other firearms.
If anyone sees the subject police urge them not to approach or attempt to contact him but to call 911 immediately.
For those who recognize the property pictured above, please call Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491, Extension 32.
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Lakeport Planning Commission approves rezone, general plan amendment for new police headquarters
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission on Wednesday gave its unanimous approval to a rezone and general plan amendment for the Lakeport Police Department's new headquarters building.
The 4,400-square-foot building was constructed on half an acre in 2002 at 2025 S. Main St., next to Kmart. The city purchased it for $875,000, with escrow closing March 10.
To help outfit the new headquarters, the Lakeport Police Officers Association received a donation of newer, surplus furniture – including bookcases and desks – from the Sacramento Peace Officers Association.
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen were on hand Wednesday evening to go over the request for the general plan amendment and zone change for the property.
The building is now zoned for major retail. To make it consistent with the city's general plan, Ingram said the city was seeking the rezone to public and civic uses.
Ingram said the property was created in 1992 as part of the subdivision that established the Kmart shopping center. For several years it housed the Social Security Administration, which was its only tenant, before the agency moved to a location on Parallel Drive.
The Lakeport Police Department has, since July 1, 1999, been housed in a building at 916 N. Forbes St., at the corner of N. Forbes and Ninth streets.
Rasmussen told Lake County News that before it was Lakeport Police's headquarters, the 3,000-square-foot building served as a court annex and offices for the Lake County Sheriff's administration.
Ingram said Lakeport Police's current building is limited in size, which is an issue for future department growth. It also has technology and safety shortcomings.
Regarding the latter, Ingram said the building – originally designed as a multi-unit office building – lacks appropriate safety features, and concerns for officer safety led the council to direct staff last year to explore alternatives for the police headquarters.
Very few upgrades – limited to a slight interior remodel, fencing for police vehicles and an emergency generator – are needed for the 2025 S. Main St. location, Ingram said.
His report also noted that the S. Main Street building is equipped with wiring capable of handling the most up-to-date technology, provides safety features including security devices on doors, has separate access for police personnel and the general public, there's a large lobby that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, plus customer service windows and restrooms for use by the public.
Ingram said the city has had inquiries from the public about why the building wasn't already zoned for public and civic uses if it had housed the Social Security Administration. He said the building previously had been privately owned, with Social Security holding a short-term lease.
With the property now under the city's ownership – and intended to be used by the Lakeport Police Department for the next 20 to 30 years – the public and civic use zoning is the more fitting designation, Ingram said.
Ingram said planning staff also prepared an environmental analysis to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. As the site's new uses will be similar to the previous uses, and with the proposed general plan amendment complying with CEQA, staff proposed a negative declaration.
Commissioners asked a number of questions, regarding the exact height of the security fence – which Rasmussen estimated will be about 7 feet high – as well as the Lake Transit bus stop that's located there.
Since the building has been vacant, there has been an issue with a large amount of litter, along with people bringing over shopping carts from Kmart that they turn over to use as benches, Rasmussen said.
Ingram said he would speak to Lake Transit Authority about its future plans for the location, and if the bus stop should be moved. If the stop is to stay there, Ingram said he will ask if there is grant money still available for a bench or bus shelter.
Commissioner Ken Wicks Jr. asked Ingram if the city had considered the impact on the nearby commercial retail establishments if, in the future, the police department vacates the property that's been rezoned for public and civic uses.
Ingram said he believed that if that were to happen at some point in the future, that the commission might consider a zone change for another use. He said the city had not analyzed the potential impact on other properties, but said Kmart had contacted the city to express its enthusiasm about having the police station there, as police already have to respond to a lot of shoplifting calls at the store.
Commissioner Suzanne Russell said she wanted a lot of landscaping and trees installed so that it wouldn't look so much like a police station.
Chairman Tom Gayner asked Rasmussen if he thought the agency would need to expand in 15 years. Rasmussen said he thought the 20- to 30-year timeline for the agency's growth was accurate, noting that he doesn't expect the department to grow so large by that time that they outgrow the building.
Commissioner Harold Taylor said it also will depend on the size of the city. “It's grown a lot since I've been here.”
Wicks pointed out that the new building was built to federal standards. “It's a small tank.”
Rasmussen said his department's current location is an office building.
“It's not a safe building at all,” said Russell. “Not even close.”
Replied Rasmussen, “We deal with different people than an office would deal with.”
There was no public comment before Taylor moved to accept the project, with Russell seconding and the commission approving the request 5-0.
The commission's next meeting is scheduled for May 13.
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