Scam Reported In Larimer County Uses Name Of Actual Sheriff Commander
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - There's an increase in phone scams across the Front Range, and deputies in Larimer County say one particular scam hits close to home because the scammers claim to be calling from the sheriff's office.
Whoever is behind the new scam is using the name of an actual Larimer County Sheriff's Office commander, saying the person must pay thousands of dollars now by Green Dot debit card if they want to avoid being arrested on a warrant.
Suspicious victims could go online and find the actual commander whose name is being used, which makes it easier for people to fall for the scam.
Deputies want everyone to know that they will never contact anyone by phone to pay a bond, fines for missing jury duty, or to discuss warrants.
"It's all false. None of the victims we've spoken to have in fact had outstanding warrants or missed jury duty at all," David Moore with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office told CBS4.
In the last week deputies received 10 to 15 reports of people getting those calls. The scammers are manipulating caller ID to make it look as though the call is coming from the sheriff's office.
The scammers have taken advantage of at least two victims. They swindled $1,000 from one and $1,500 from the other.
"They're using our credibility as the local sheriff's office to try to steal money from our citizens," Moore said.
Deputies are reviewing a recording of at least one of the fraudulent calls.
It's too soon to say whether the scam is local or originating from somewhere outside the U.S.
Weld County is also reporting an increase in phone scams and asking people to be careful.
