Sheriff: Scammers targeting Central Valley newspaper subscribers

Madera County Sheriff John Anderson is warning newspaper subscribers about a new scam targeting readers.

Those affected so far include customers of the LA Times and The Fresno Bee.

In the case of the fake LA Times renewal, residents in Madera County have received mailings from an outfit calling itself Publishers Distribution Services or Readers Payment Service,

offering subscribers to “lock in at one of our lowest rates” for a yearly renewal of $799.95. The mailing lists an address in Henderson, Nev.

The Fresno Bee recently alerted its customers to a similar scam, in which readers were receiving phony renewals with a return address that is not The Fresno Bee.

Readers with concerns can contact their paper’s customer service department:

You can follow the Sheriff’s latest posts and information at www.facebook.com/MaderaSheriff or www.twitter.com/MaderaSheriff.

This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Sheriff: Scammers targeting Central Valley newspaper subscribers."