Vikki Lynn Lowry, 55, of Clearlake, Calif., was arrested on Friday, October 7, 2011, was arrested in connection to an Internet fraud case. Lake County Jail photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake woman has been arrested following an investigation into allegations that she defrauded a Canadian man in an Internet transaction.

Vikki Lynn Lowry, 55, was arrested on felony counts of forgery, forging an official seal, petty theft with a previous jail term and a felony probation violation, according to Lake County Jail records.

Clearlake Police Sgt. Rodd Joseph said that on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 4, a man called the Clearlake Police Department from Toronto, Canada, reporting that he had placed a cellular phone for sale on the Internet site Craigslist in late September.

The man said that Lowry contacted him via email and stated she was interested in purchasing the cellular phone from him. Joseph said the man claimed that Lowry sent emails to him in Canada, which falsely reported she had sent money to his PayPal account.

Believing the emails to be valid at the time, the victim shipped the phone to Lowry at a Clearlake address via the Canadian Postal Service, Joseph said. After sending the package, the victim learned that the emails were fictitious and he had not actually been paid.

Joseph said the alleged victim attempted to stop the shipment but learned that the package was already in the custody of the United States Postal Service and his local law enforcement could not assist him. He subsequently asked the Clearlake Police Department for assistance.

Clearlake Police verified the victim’s story with the Ontario Provincial Police, and working with the US Postal Service Clearlake Police officers managed to intercept the package at the Clearlake Post Office prior to it going out to delivery, according to Joseph.

Additional information was gathered during the investigation which led officers to believe that there were other possible fraud victims from Canada and elsewhere associated with Lowry and the same Clearlake residence, Joseph said.

Joseph said that with information obtained during the investigation, Det. Ryan Peterson was able to secure a search warrant for the suspect’s home located in the 3000 block of 12th Street.

Last Friday, Oct. 7, Clearlake Police officers along with US Postal Service law enforcement officers conducted an undercover operation at Lowry's residence on 12th Street, Joseph said. Once the undercover operation was completed, Clearlake Police officers and Detectives immediately served the search warrant at the residence.

Joseph said Lowry was located at the home and arrested, and evidence was located and seized pursuant to the search warrant service.

He said the stolen cellular phone has been returned to the victim in Canada.

Though this case has been submitted to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office for charges, the case is still under investigation and additional fraud victims are still being sought. Joseph said that with evidence obtained at Lowry’s residence, additional charges may be forthcoming.

Lowry remained in the Lake County Jail on Tuesday on the probation hold.

Any person with information on this matter is asked to contact Detective Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.

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