Gilroy
– Fraud and identity theft scams are occurring more frequently
by scammers who obtain consumers’ personal information.
Latino consumers in particular have been targets lately, by
phone companies who slam customers with outrageous charges, and by
a couple recently arrested for identity theft.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – Fraud and identity theft scams are occurring more frequently by scammers who obtain consumers’ personal information.
Latino consumers in particular have been targets lately, by phone companies who slam customers with outrageous charges, and by a couple recently arrested for identity theft.
A local agency is launching a new program to help the Latino community avoid so-called “slamming” and “cramming” by phone companies. The Mexican American Community Services Agency is warning that Gilroy Latino residents could be at risk of seeing unauthorized or additional charges on their phone bills, such as fees for a different long-distance provider, monthly voice mail fees, caller ID, and other services.
MACSA’s telephone consumer protection services include group consultations primarily in Spanish. Consumers may make an appointment and bring the last three months’ phone bills.
In another scam aimed at Latinos, a pair of identity thieves were arrested last week for targeting Spanish speakers to obtain their identities to purchase homes in three counties.
Husband and wife Jose Sanabria, 46, and Elsa Lorena Solares, 39, both of Elk Grove, were arrested by Santa Clara County Sheriff Deputies on suspicion of identity theft, as well as grand theft and perjury.
The pair own an income tax business located in Mountain View, where they would gain personal information that they would use to purchase homes throughout Santa Clara, Stanislaus and Sacramento counties, deputies said.
In addition to being tax professionals, Solares is a real estate agent and her husband is a notary public.
Sanabria and Solares reportedly obtained mortgage loans using the identities of their tax clients, then targeted their other clients who wanted to buy a home but could not qualify to purchase on their own. All the couple’s clients were Spanish-speaking only, deputies said.
The suspects would get a down payment of $5,000 to $10,000 from their victims and allow them to move into the property, deputies said. The victims would maintain mortgage payments after the suspects promised they would hand over ownership after one year. In the end, deputies said, the victims lost everything.
The suspects were arrested May 11 and are being held in county jail on $500,000 bond.
Anyone who believes they have been victimized may contact Detective Sgt. Dalia Rodriguez at 808-4539, or leave an anonymous tip at 808-4431.
Details on MACSA’s consumer protection services: Pedro Ornelas at 846-5999.
