DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. – “The scam is back, just hang up.”
That’s the message from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) after it recently received several reports from community members who say they were contacted via phone by people impersonating employees of the sheriff’s office.
According to DCSO, the scammer will use a ruse such as a missed court appearance, failure to appear for jury duty, a warrant for arrest and other similar stories to get money. The scammer usually threatens jail time or other comparable consequences if a payment is not immediately made.
DCSO says these tactics are never used by legitimate law enforcement agencies.
“If anyone has any question about a possible scam call, they should call dispatch at (541) 440-4471 and ask to speak to a deputy,” said Lieutenant Brad O’Dell. “The most important thing is to not send any money or agree to meet someone to make payment.”
The agency is offering some information on how scammers like this work:
- Scammers can easily obtain new phone numbers and will change them often.
- Scammers may use “spoof” programs to make the Caller ID show an agency’s actual phone number.
- Scammers may use the names of actual DCSO employees to make the call seem legitimate.
- Scammers may obtain personal information about a victim online including their name, address, phone number, and the names of others in the home.
- Scammers may initially contact victims by mail, email, or through social media.
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