The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a number of new and sophisticated scam operations in Fountain Hills with several reported in the past couple of weeks.

*On Sunday, June 16, a person received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the corporate office of her employer. She was told to go to an adjoining business and wire $800 from the register to an account to pay for a pending delivery to the store. The woman did not realize this was a scam until her manager informed her. They were able to get the wire transaction cancelled.

*On Monday, June 17, a resident of the 16900 block of Britt Court reported he received a phone call telling him he won the lottery but needed to send $5,000 to pay for taxes and that $6,000 would be deposited in his account to cover the money he was sending for taxes. The victim saw the $6,000 deposit in his account and believed the call was legitimate and proceeded to send the requested $5,000. He was informed by his bank the next day that the $6,000 deposit was a transfer from his savings account to his checking account and not a third party deposit.

*On Wednesday, June 19, a business in the 16600 block of Palisades Blvd. received an email from someone claiming to be a specific employee of the company. The email asked that the payroll information be changed. However, the employer did not make the changes before verifying with the employee, which alerted the victim to the scam.

*On Monday, June 17, a Fountain Hills woman reported a $1,600 charge from her bank account she had not made or authorized. She said she was in possession of her debit card and to her knowledge her bank account information had not been compromised.

MCSO Sgt. Mike Lawson said scammers are getting better at hacking to obtain more information to use in their scams. He said people need to be more aware and careful in how they respond to situations involving money and identity.

*On Friday, June 14, deputies were called to a business in the 16900 block of Shea Blvd. for a reported assault. A store manager received a report of someone outside the store asking people for money. When the manager asked the subject to leave the property he was kicked in the foot and the suspect fled the area.

*On Wednesday, June 19, deputies responded to a business in the 13700 block of Fountain Hills Blvd. where an employee was alleged to have assaulted a second employee over a dispute. The incident is related to a previous threat and the suspect was booked on assault charges.

*On Thursday, June 13, a deputy saw a man riding a bike he knew to be the subject of an arrest warrant. The subject was placed under arrest and booked into jail.

*On Monday, June 17, deputies arrested a subject and booked them on an outstanding felony probation violation warrant.

*On Thursday, June 13, three male subjects entered a business in the 16800 block of Shea Blvd. and attempted to purchase merchandise at three different points of sale. They attempted to pay with cash cards that were declined due to no money on the card. However, the suspects informed the cashiers that they should hit a certain key that would accept the transaction. The register opened, which made it appear the card was accepted and deactivated security devices. This resulted in the loss of more than $3,000 in merchandise. The business had experienced similar schemes in other locations in Arizona and in Nevada. One case in Arizona resulted in a loss of $10,000 in merchandise.

*On Monday, June 17, a resident reported that in late May his business credit card had two unauthorized transactions totaling $3,400.

*On Tuesday, June 18, a suspect entered a business in the 13700 block of Fountain Hills Blvd. at 2 a.m. and took five alcoholic beverages and fled in an unknown vehicle.

*On Sunday, June 16, a resident of the 14700 block of Golden Eagle Blvd. reported their mailbox was damaged, possibly being struck by a vehicle.

*On Saturday, June 15, a driver on Technology Drive struck a parked vehicle saying the sun was in his eyes.

*On Saturday, June 15, a driver backing from a driveway in the 16400 block of Ashbrook Drive struck a parked vehicle in the street.

*On Wednesday, June 19, a motorist suffered a medical condition and went off the roadway in the 14800 block of Fayette Drive and struck a fire hydrant.

*On Friday, June 14, an unknown vehicle went off the roadway at Desert Canyon and Sunset Drive and struck a street sign and damaged landscaping in the median.