KCSO reports
This week’s KCSO Reports includes a roughly $120,000 scam
• At 10:05 a.m., Friday, Aug. 12, a Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a Windward Drive address on report of fraud involving six figures in cash. Victim/complainant said she was scammed out of about $120,000.
Victim said she received a notification from PayPal stating her account had been frozen due to fraudulent activity. Victim said she “called PayPal and spoke to someone who identified himself as the security officer of PayPal,” the report stated.
“This unknown suspect told the victim that she needed to send him approximately $90,000 via Bitcoin and Venmo for him to be able to reverse the fraudulent charges on her PayPal account. The suspect then connected the victim to an individual who identified himself as the security officer for First Horizon Bank.
The suspect told the victim that she needed to wire transfer $69,999 to a bank in Cambodia before he could reverse the transactions on her bank account.”
The victim initiated both transactions.
(Editor’s Note):
In a related matter to the above KCSO Report, Knox County Government is warning the public of a new phone scam.
A number of people received phone calls on (Aug. 10) from scammers who claim to work for the county’s Benefit’s Department and would like to meet in person with them or have someone come to their home to talk more about the matter,” a report from Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs’ Office stated.
“So far, the scammers have targeted the elderly and people who do not work for county government. The county’s Benefit’s Department would not ask someone to meet at their home,” the report further stated.
“If residents receive such a call, the county requests that the person hang up and call either the Knoxville Police Department at 865-215-4010 or the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 865-215-2443.”
• At 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 14, a complainant called KCSO Teleserve Unit to report a burglary to her vehicle, a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse, in the parking lot of McFee Park, 917 McFee Road.
She advised an unknown suspect shattered her passenger-side rear window and took her purse from inside the vehicle. She advised the doors to the vehicle had been locked. Total value of loss was listed at $1,015, including $600 for the damaged window.
• At 4:08 p.m., Friday, Aug. 12, a complainant called the KCSO Teleserve Unit to report contractor fraud at a Mountain Breeze Lane address.
He advised in May 2022 he hired the suspect and her company to fix the ceiling in his home. He advised on May 16 the listed suspect had contacted him and stated the job would cost more than they had originally priced, and the complainant said he did not want to continue with the listed suspect doing the work.
He advised the listed suspect wouldn’t return his $800 deposit and therefore he sent the company a certified letter to return his money. He said he still has yet to hear back from the listed suspect on the matter and advised he spoke to a KCSO detective, who advised him to file the report for contractor fraud due to the complainant believing the listed suspect and business did not have license to be doing the work they agreed to do.
• At 7:41 p.m., Monday, Aug. 8, a complainant called KCSO Teleserve Unit to report a theft of her wallet at Kroger, 189 Brooklawn St. She advised she had last seen her wallet while entering the store around 2:30 p.m. that day and discovered it was gone around 4 p.m. when she was at the register.
She advised the wallet had been inside her purse, which had been in her buggy while in the store. She said there already had been a fraudulent charge at Walmart on one of the credit cards for $800, but added she has notified the card companies and her bank.
Aside from the $800 charge, total value of loss was listed at $155, including $100 in currency.
• At 6:25 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 7, a complainant called KCSO Teleserve Unit to report a lost license plate from an Allen Kirby Road address.
He advised he had last seen the license plate attached to his 2007 Porsche Boxster at 12:30 p.m. that same day, and discovered it was gone at 6 p.m. He advised he had been driving quite a bit and is uncertain as to when and where it was lost.
