MCARTHUR, Ohio — The Vinton County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers spoof the agency’s number and demand payment while threatening arrest, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
The sheriff’s office said it has received several reports of the scheme. Callers use fake names and badge numbers and already possess victims’ personal information, including their name, Social Security number, birth date and address, according to the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office said it will never request payment of any kind over the phone. Bond, impound fees and other financial transactions with the office are always handled in person at the sheriff’s office, officials said.
Number-spoofing scams, in which a caller disguises the number that appears on a recipient’s caller ID to mimic a legitimate government or law enforcement line, have been used nationally by scammers who threaten arrest warrants or unpaid fines to pressure victims into immediate payment, often through gift cards, wire transfers or cash pickup. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission have both cautioned that legitimate law enforcement agencies do not demand payment over the phone to avoid arrest.
The sheriff’s office did not say how many residents had reported being contacted by the scammers or whether anyone had lost money.
Anyone who receives such a call is encouraged to hang up and contact the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office directly using a verified number to confirm whether any communication is legitimate before sending money or providing personal information.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the Vinton County Sheriff’s Office.
