MEDFORD, Ore. – Local police are warning the public about a potential scam hitting the Rogue Valley.
The Medford Police Department said over the past couple of weeks, they’ve been getting calls regarding a telephone scam. “Individuals are receiving calls telling them they have a warrant for their arrest,” MPD explained. “The scamster will ‘spoof’ the telephone number and use the name of a current Sheriff’s Office employee so the scam appears to be legit.”
According to police, the scammer says to clear the warrant, the victim needs to buy pre-paid debit cards and provide the scammers with the activation code. One done, the victim’s money is gone.
MPD said the scammers are “extremely convincing” and will work to keep you on the phone throughout the whole process. They even tell victims store clerks will try to say it’s a scam.
Police explained as a normal, law-abiding citizen, having a warrant out for your arrest should be a huge red flag. Second, law enforcement agencies don’t do business in this way.
Many of these types of scams target the elderly, so make sure family members are aware.
If you get a suspicious call or believe you’ve been scammed, you may be out of luck. Most of the scams originate from outside the U.S. and it’s nearly impossible to investigate, MPD said.
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