SCAM ALERT: 

July 27, 2025 – Inyo County Sheriff’s Office officials report that the Sheriff’s Office, Bishop Police Department, and Inyo County Health and Human Services (HHS) are warning the public about a scam involving a fraudulent Facebook page posing as a legitimate service provider for Mexican Consulate appointments.

A Facebook profile operating under the name “Citas Consulares PTG” (view page here) is advertising appointment scheduling services for upcoming mobile visits from the Mexican Consulate. This group is falsely claiming to be staffed by county employees and has been requesting a $50 fee—payable by debit card, credit card, or payment apps—for booking an appointment.

The Inyo County Health and Human Services Department, in collaboration with Probation and other community agencies, normally coordinates these consulate visits for Inyo and Mono County residents. Appointment scheduling is always free of charge, and no payments are ever requested by the county or the consulate for this service. The Mexican Consulate has confirmed that Citas Consulares PTG is not a legitimate or authorized vendor.

Residents are urged to be cautious and not to provide personal, financial, or payment information to anyone claiming to charge for these services. If you have already made contact with the fraudulent page or provided any payment information, we encourage you to report the incident to local law enforcement and your bank or payment service provider.

For legitimate updates on mobile consulate visits, or to make an appointment for the upcoming mobile consulate visit, please contact the Inyo County Health and Human Services Department at (760) 872-4755.

To report suspicious activity or if you believe you may have been a victim of this scam, please contact: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office: (760) 878-0383 or Bishop Police Department: (760) 873-5866

Your safety and trust matter to us. Please help us spread the word to protect others in our community.

Source: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office