A 62-year-old woman from Oxnard pled guilty earlier this week to grand theft after identifying herself as a judge and scamming a victim out of $10,000, authorities announced on Wednesday.

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Teresa Robles Boyzo, posing as a judge, told a man that she could help with legal matters for a fee in 2019. The victim handed over the check for legal services concerning his wife’s estate.  

“Boyzo did not provide any legal services to the victim and was not a judge nor licensed to practice law,” a VCDA news release stated.  

Deputy District Attorney Susan Park, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Unit, and the prosecuting attorney in the case, said people can protect themselves from these types of scams by using the “Look Up a Lawyer” feature on the California State Bar website.  

“Money or personal information should never be given to someone claiming to be an attorney without first checking to see if they are in fact a licensed attorney,” Park added.  

Boyzo pled guilty on Mar. 7, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11.