The Sheriff's Office has recently taken reports from members of the public that they have received telephone calls from individuals purporting to be Deputies of the Sheriff's Office or members of other local law enforcement agencies claiming the person has failed to respond to a court subpoena and must now pay money to satisfy it.

     These are fraudulent scam calls.  They are not legitimate.

     These scammers are identifying themselves over the phone as actual officers who are either still employed or who have been employed with local law enforcement in the past.  Through the spoofing of phone numbers, these scammers can make it appear on caller ID that they are calling from the main number of the law enforcement agency in question even though they are not.  That is a ruse.   The scammers demand cash transfers be made via money cards in order to satisfy the court subpoena that has been supposedly ignored. 

     These scammers attempt to intimidate and coerce the people they are calling into following their demands.  One victim has already sustained a significant money loss from following the scammer's demands.  In most cases there will be no method available to recover funds already lost.

     Sheriff's Deputies and other legitimate law enforcement officials will never demand any transfer of cash or other forms of monetary transactions order to satisfy a court subpoena that someone allegedly did not comply with.  Do not provide or verify any of your personal information at all to these phone scammers.  Do not become a victim. 

     People who receive these kinds of phone calls may contact their local law enforcement agencies directly at the published phone number for the agency to inquire as to the legitimacy of the matter in question if necessary.  In case of a victim who has sustained an actual loss of funds through fraudulent means, a police report will be taken.

Baxter County Sheriff's Office