For Immediate Release: Credit Card Scam/Fraud Alert!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  CREDIT CARD SCAM/FRAUD ALERT!

Date:  September 3, 2025

The Paradise Police Department wants to inform local business owners of an uptick of fraudulent phone credit card transactions. In a recent cases, businesses have accepted credit card payments over the phone, have released merchandise to the purchasers, and later discovered that the credit card used was stolen/fraudulent and the payment was invalid.

To help protect our business community, the Police Department urges all businesses to take the following precautions before releasing merchandise on phone credit card orders:

Verify from your bank the payment was valid

Verify the identity of the individual picking up the order
Request a government-issued photo ID and confirm the name matches the purchaser’s information. If an employee is picking up the items, make sure the name is provided at the time of the order.

Record identifying information
Document the ID details and any vehicle description, including make, model, color, and license plate number, if goods are being loaded into a vehicle.

Be cautious with unusual orders
Large or high-value orders, or requests for rushed pick-ups, may warrant additional verification.

For questions or to report suspicious activity, please contact the Paradise Police Department at 530-872-6241.

“Paradise Police is committed to improving the quality of life in our community.”