Daviess County Sheriff’s Department Warns Against New Phone Scam
There is just nothing worse than a dang ole scammer, am I right? It seems like every day on social media there are bots popping up in comment sections and profiles being hacked to try and take advantage of folks oftentimes in vulnerable situations.
How Scams Work
Most of the time, scammers prey on their victims' ignorance or desperation to weasel them out of money. Unfortunately, these criminals are getting smarter and sneakier and usually target older folks with less experience online. They'll pose as officials, long lost friends, widowers, veterans, and even celebrities.
Sometimes they will work to develop a friendship only to request money sent to them, or in the form of gift cards. With claims of relatives in trouble overseas or unknown overdue utility bills, they can sometimes seem legitimate to someone who may not know better.
Daviess County Sheriff Scammer
Back in January, the Daviess County Sheriff's Department first reported a scam operation posing as their officials. Well, these scammers are at it again. Pretending to be specific members of the agency like Sgt. Brian Martin, they'll say you failed to answer a subpoena or missed appointed jury duty and that you need to pay a fine.
Apparently, they have even gone so far as to Google people for more information about them that they can use to appear legitimate. Using actual judges' names and everything. In a Facebook post, the Sheriff's Office assures, "Law enforcement agencies and the court system WILL NEVER ask you to pay money over the phone for missing court or fines."
Always be sure to ask questions and follow your gut! If something seems weird, it probably is. If you need to report an incident where this has happened to you, contact the Daviess County Sheriff's Department.