Northland sheriffs warn of scam demanding payment under arrest threat

The Cass and St. Louis county sheriffs issued warnings Wednesday, Oct. 22, of fraudulent phone calls and text messages from people posing as sheriff's office employees.

In many of these cases, victims receive a scam call demanding payment for an unpaid fine that would lead to an arrest warrant.

The fraudsters use a caller ID spoofing technique to have their number appear to be from the sheriff’s office and even use the name and badge number of a sheriff’s office official. In a recent Cass County case, this led a victim and their co-workers to believe the fraudster and fall victim to the scam, which involved transferring currency through a prepaid debit card.

Authorities say if you receive this type of call or scam, protect yourself by hanging up immediately and never providing personal or financial information over the phone. Instead, independently verify the information by calling the official sheriff's office at a number you find from their official website. 

"Legitimate law enforcement agencies will never demand immediate payment over the phone for fines, missed court dates or to clear warrants," the release stated.

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Common tactics

• Caller ID spoofing: The phone number may appear to be from the local sheriff's office or a specific deputy's name, but this is fake. 
• Sense of urgency: Scammers create panic by claiming there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest, and you must pay a fine immediately to avoid jail time. 
• Demands for payment: They will demand payment through specific, untraceable methods, such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. 
• Threats: They may threaten to come to your home if you do not pay immediately. 

What to do

• Hang up immediately: Do not provide any information, and do not stay on the line to argue or question the caller. 
• Do not call back the number from the call: Scammers may be spoofing thenumberand you will not reach a legitimate agency. 
• Call the official sheriff's office directly: Look up the phone number for your local sheriff's office on their official website, or a trusted directory, and call them to verify the claim. 
• Do not share personal or financial information: This includes your Social Security number, bank account information or payment details. 
• Report the scam: You can report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission and visit identitytheft.gov if you have already shared personal information.