A scam artist is targeting residents of the San Bernardino Mountains, claiming to be a relative who needs $500 for car repairs, according to local law enforcement officials.

"This is the third (complaint) in the last few weeks," San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detective Eddie Stark said Friday. "I want elderly people to be aware of any `family members' calling and asking them to wire money. If they do receive calls like that . . . verify that's who's really calling them before they send money."

Authorities in San Bernardino and Riverside counties said they have heard of similar frauds, though the three in the Crestline area of the San Bernardino Mountains are the only ones under investigation.

"It's commonly called the `granny scam,' " said San Bernardino County Deputy District Attorney Tristan Svare of the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit. "It's not a brand-new scam, but it's new to Southern California. It was just a matter of time before we started seeing it in San Bernardino County."

A Riverside County consumer rights advocate said she also has heard of the scam, but hasn't seen recent cases there. Senior citizens are the most likely to be victimized, said Janet Hale of the county's Division of Adult Protective Services.

"The reason they get sucked into these things is because they're lonesome and their family isn't close," she said.

Svare said elder abuse prosecutors, along with bunco and fraud investigators, know of groups or families -- collectively called travelers -- who criss-cross the nation defrauding people.

"The other (con game) we see a lot is the Canadian Lottery Scam," he said.

In that ruse, victims lose their money to a lottery that doesn't exist. And they're sent coupons, on which they're supposed to write their name, birth date, social security number, bank account number and credit card number, information that Svare said should never be revealed for such a purpose.

"Then they get a call saying they've won -- but (are told) there are fees and taxes that have to be paid," he said. "And then the threats begin: if they don't pay the taxes, they can be sued by the IRS and police will come after them. They're scaring these people."

Svare urges victims not to let embarrassment make them reluctant to report such frauds.

"They're not alone," he said. "Somebody can be defrauded or robbed at any age. They shouldn't feel guilty about somebody committing a crime against them."

Reach Richard Brooks at (909) 890-4452 or rbrooks@pe.com

Been Scammed?

After calling police, phone a county Adult Protective Service toll-free hotline:

· San Bernardino County (877) 565-2020

· Riverside County (800) 491-7123