The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office says it’s another scam effort. Someone is calling county residents claiming to be sheriff’s deputies, saying you have missed a court date or jury duty and demanding money to avoid immediate arrest. Officials say no law enforcement agency ever contacts you asking for money.
News release: The Campbell County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of phone scams involving people posing as deputies in order to demand money from citizens. These scams have involved residents receiving calls from others claiming to be actual deputies at the Sheriff’s Office. The scammers state they are demanding payment over the phone for a missed court date or jury duty, claiming that they will be arrested if they do not pay, said Captain Mike Lawhorn, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office.
Often the caller claims people owe money for things such as outstanding warrants, or they may claim that the IRS requires your social security number and money from you. Sometimes they ask you to pay via credit card or prepaid card and send the money electronically.
Lawhorn provides the following tips when it comes to scam calls:
- Law enforcement agencies will never ask for money over the phone.
- Do not believe your caller I.D. Scammers can fake caller I.D. numbers using a process called “spoofing.”
- Spot impostors that claim to be from a government entity or charitable organization.
- Do not give out personal information and never pay with a credit card over the phone.
- Hang up on robocalls.
- Do not wire or make electronic money transfers to an unknown person.
“Just remember there is never a time when any law enforcement agency will contact someone asking for money,” states Lawhorn. “This just doesn’t happen.
He further adds, “If you find yourself on the receiving end of a call like this, please call the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office at (434) 332-9574 and report it.”