The Washington County Sheriff’s Office wants to warn residents about a phone scam making the
rounds.
Scammers are spoofing phone numbers that appear to belong to Sheriff’s Office sergeants and claiming folks owe money for warrants, back taxes, or other legal issues.
Remember, law enforcement will not call you to demand payment for outstanding warrants, unpaid IRS taxes, or ask for your Social Security number, banking information, or payment with gift cards or prepaid cards.
Most legitimate calls from law enforcement involve an incident or case you’re already aware of, or they provide enough context for you to recognize why they’re contacting you.
If you ever question whether a call is legitimate, hang up and call the 911 Communications Center at 651-439-9381 to verify whether an officer or deputy is actually trying to reach you.
Remember, when in doubt, hang up and verify.
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