The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office has been alerted to a scam targeting local residents. Scammers are calling people while pretending to be CCSO deputies, urging them to buy $1,000 worth of gift cards and send them for various made-up reasons. They often claim the money is needed to help a family member get out of jail or to ease probation conditions.
While this type of scam isn’t new, it has become more prevalent, making it a pressing issue for the community. These fraudsters are clever and can be very convincing. They often have the names of relatives and use the internet to research local government entities, presenting their information in a way that appears credible, which makes it hard to tell the truth from deception. To confirm the authenticity of the caller, it’s recommended to hang up and contact the agency directly using their official phone number.
Additionally, the sheriff’s office has discovered that scammers are reaching out to the families of incarcerated individuals, claiming that their loved one can be released early if the offender is fitted with an ankle monitor and if the family pays a fee over the phone or sends a check or another payment method. This is a scam. Law enforcement does not accept money for early release or for any other purpose.
If you receive such a call, do not be fooled and do not send any money. With tax season approaching, it is vital for citizens to stay alert and cautious, as scammers are likely to ramp up their efforts to take advantage of any opportunity to defraud individuals.
Sheriff Fred Cole advises all citizens not to fall victim to these scams. Law enforcement agencies will NEVER request payment over the phone to avoid arrest, cancel a warrant, or make threats if action is not taken. Cole stated, “We will also never request payment in the form of gift cards, prepaid cards, Cash App, Venmo, PayPal, cryptocurrency or any other peer-to-peer payment app.”
If you or a loved one receives a call making this type of request, simply refuse, hang up, and follow the tips above. No report is necessary. If you fall victim to these types of scams, or have already, call 911 and request to speak to an officer and file a report.