Law Enforcement Impersonation Scams
A common type of scam that’s sweeping our area is one in which scammers call residents and claim to be Sheriff’s Office deputies or other law enforcement officers or court employees.
These scammers may use the name and rank of actual individuals who work for the Sheriff’s Office or other agencies, and in some cases, they even make it appear as though the call is coming from a phone number associated with our office. This is called “spoofing.”
The scammer may claim that you have failed to pay some sort of fine or outstanding traffic ticket, have failed to respond to a jury duty summons, have a warrant out for your arrest or the arrest of a loved one, or that a loved one has been arrested and is in our jail awaiting bond. They may also simple leave a voicemail urging you to call back regarding an “urgent matter.”
The scammer will try to convince you to pay fines or fees over the phone, through an online payment system, or through a pre-paid credit card. These scams are designed to alarm and shame residents into taking immediate action. The scammer may even tell you that refusing to pay will result in criminal charges or arrest.
If you receive such a call, please take a moment and pause, and do not react immediately. Don’t let the caller scare or intimidate you into making any sort of payment.
Remember…
- The Sheriff's Office does NOT phone residents to notify them of outstanding warrants or unpaid fines.
- The Sheriff’s Office does NOT issue warrants for missing a jury summons.
- The Sheriff’s Office does NOT ask for, or accept payment for anything over the phone, through PayPal or similar apps, or through pre-paid credit cards.
If you receive a call such as this and want to verify its legitimacy, please contact our dispatchers at (330) 643-2181.