Officer Erika Pereira presented a community-facing overview of consumer fraud risks and practical steps residents can take to avoid financial loss.

Pereira described typical scams, beginning with the so-called "grandparent" scam in which callers impersonate a relative in distress and pressure elders to send funds immediately. She also described callers claiming to be law-enforcement or social-services staff demanding payments or PINs and warned about prize and romance scams that ask victims to click unfamiliar links or send money overseas. "Hoy voy a estar hablando sobre el fraude," Pereira told the council when introducing the talk.

The officer advised concrete precautions: if a caller asks for immediate payment, verify by calling a trusted number; never send money or gift cards to someone who telephones requesting payment; avoid clicking unfamiliar links; and, when using checks, sign with a gel pen because altered amounts can be harder to wash out. Pereira reported that between June and November 2025 local agencies recorded 16 check-washing cases involving Carpinteria and Montecito.

Council members asked about detection and prosecution; staff responded that prosecutions are difficult when suspects operate from other countries and reiterated the departments reporting hotline and an online reporting resource (IC3.gov). Members of the public shared personal experiences with spoofed calls and urged the city to distribute bilingual prevention materials; staff said they would provide links and consider additional outreach. The officer recommended the FBI/IC3 portal for reporting and local hotlines for initial assistance.

No formal council action followed the presentation; staff said they will share materials for city distribution and encouraged residents to enroll in official reporting channels.