The Lake Sarasota Community Blog

Sheriff's  press release : Scam Warning The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about seasonal door-to-door scams, most recently a scheme where people pose as students involved in a fundraiser. Reported incidents indicate that well-dressed college-age young men are approaching people under the guise of raising money for a school trip. They claim that they attend local universities and that their parents live nearby. The pitch differs, but on some occasions the suspects ask for $118 for a trip to an overseas sports tournament. If the homeowner seems hesitant they reduce the price and offer magazine subscriptions. The suspect will even present an official looking flyer and receipt, but they do not contain valid information. In a separate but similar scam, the perpetrator claims to be a state or county worker doing tree work or other contracting in the area. On at least one occasion, the suspect has distracted the victim, entered their home and lef...

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is warning citizens about an Internet scam that has been reported in other areas of Florida where cyber criminals try to trick Microsoft users into believing their computer may be vulnerable to an attack. The scam works like this: Criminals contact potential victims on their home phone posing as Microsoft computer security engineers. The scammer explains that "threats" have been reported to Microsoft and as a courtesy they are providing free security checks to customers who may have unknowingly downloaded a virus or malware. More...

Scam Warning Those of you who signed up to receive our press releases have already heard this warning but the information bears repeating. Transient criminals return to Florida this time of year to victimize residents, often using the ruse of home repair work to gain your trust. You can  read more here , but one scam that wasn’t discussed is someone offering to repair your roof and asking to come inside to show you the signs of damage. When they do, they direct you away from the door so a second suspect can enter the house and take your valuables. Anyone offering to do unsolicited work should provide a business card so you can check out their credentials. Regardless, never hire anyone on the spot. If you sense something is wrong get a description of their vehicle and a tag number if possible, and call the Sheriff’s Office.