The suspect was found to have a history of scamming people in the East Bay.
The Rise of Online Scams in the East Bay
The East Bay, a region in Northern California, has seen a significant increase in online scams targeting residents. These scams often involve tricksters posing as legitimate individuals or organizations, preying on the trust and vulnerabilities of their victims.
Types of Online Scams
Scammers Use Stolen Identities to Rent Cars and Sell Online for Profit.
The Scam: A Complex Web of Deception
The scam in question was a classic case of identity theft and rental car fraud. The suspects, who were not named, had been using stolen identities to rent cars and sell them online for a significant profit. The scam involved creating fake identities, obtaining credit cards, and using the stolen credit cards to rent cars. The suspects would then sell the cars online, often to unsuspecting buyers who were unaware of the car’s true history. Key elements of the scam: + Stolen identities + Rental car fraud + Online sales + Fake identities + Stolen credit cards
The Investigation
The police investigation into the scam began with a tip from a concerned citizen. The citizen had noticed suspicious activity on social media and had reported it to the authorities. The police launched an investigation and discovered that the suspects were using a hotel room in Oakland as a base of operations. The police raided the hotel room and found evidence of the scam, including the stolen jewelry and rental car records. Evidence found during the raid: + 26 pieces of costume jewelry + A dozen pieces of real jewelry + Rental car records + Evidence of car swapping
The Consequences
The suspects were arrested and charged with multiple counts of identity theft and rental car fraud.
Despite the arrest, no charges have been filed yet against either suspect, court records show.
