Beware And Be Smart With Phone Calls
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office warns of scammers calling and impersonating local law enforcement Officers to gain information or money from victims. If you receive a call like this, just hang up and call your local law enforcement agency and ask for the employee whose name was used.
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office had two reports this morning of Captain Ben Chapman’s name being used to obtain fine money for missing jury duty. The true Captain Chapman was not making these calls. The biggest point to remember is that No Government Agency will ask for any type of payment with a gift card.
Scammers are posing as local officers giving actual names of employees from local Sheriff’s Offices, Police Departments, and Courts. The scammers are trying to get a victim to give personal information, access to personal accounts, or even trying to obtain payment to avoid any type of legal process. Scammers use tactics of urgency and high pressure to get the victim to give in. Always know that any caller that ask you to pay by some form of gift card is a scam. Gift cards are an easy way to separate you from your money and get away with your cash quickly. If one gives the thief the numbers on the card, the money is automatically deducted and there is virtually no trace that can be done.
Beware that scammers have access to technology that can make the call appear to be coming from the local law enforcement agency, local business, or local area. Scammers are able to “spoof” phone numbers that make it extremely difficult to track or identify.
This type of activity is a scam and it is EXTREMELY important that you NEVER provide financial or personal information to ANYONE over the phone.
Sheriff Foster states, “That if a person does not recognize the phone number or after answering the call, feels uncomfortable with the conversation, just hang up and notify your local law enforcement agency”.
Also remember this is not the only scam out there, scams range from “Refund”, “Tax”, “Warranty”, “Publisher Clearing House”, and a host of others.
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The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office warns of scammers calling and impersonating local law enforcement Officers to gain information or money from victims. If you receive a call like this, just hang up and call your local law enforcement agency and ask for the employee whose name was used.
The Newberry County Sheriff’s Office had two reports this morning of Captain Ben Chapman’s name being used to obtain fine money for missing jury duty. The true Captain Chapman was not making these calls. The biggest point to remember is that No Government Agency will ask for any type of payment with a gift card.
Scammers are posing as local officers giving actual names of employees from local Sheriff’s Offices, Police Departments, and Courts. The scammers are trying to get a victim to give personal information, access to personal accounts, or even trying to obtain payment to avoid any type of legal process. Scammers use tactics of urgency and high pressure to get the victim to give in. Always know that any caller that ask you to pay by some form of gift card is a scam. Gift cards are an easy way to separate you from your money and get away with your cash quickly. If one gives the thief the numbers on the card, the money is automatically deducted and there is virtually no trace that can be done.
Beware that scammers have access to technology that can make the call appear to be coming from the local law enforcement agency, local business, or local area. Scammers are able to “spoof” phone numbers that make it extremely difficult to track or identify.
This type of activity is a scam and it is EXTREMELY important that you NEVER provide financial or personal information to ANYONE over the phone.
Sheriff Foster states, “That if a person does not recognize the phone number or after answering the call, feels uncomfortable with the conversation, just hang up and notify your local law enforcement agency”.
Also remember this is not the only scam out there, scams range from “Refund”, “Tax”, “Warranty”, “Publisher Clearing House”, and a host of others.
