Don’t fall for law enforcement scammers

RALEIGH, NC (March 22, 2024) ⇒ Earlier this week, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office sent out a warning about a phone scam that’s been on the rise. People are receiving calls from someone claiming to be a Guilford County deputy who says they must pay a fine immediately to avoid being arrested. To make matters worse, the scammers have been using names of real deputies and spoofing the phone number to make it appear as if it’s coming from the sheriff’s office.

Law enforcement scams are a common way for scammers to intimidate people into paying money. Here’s what to remember: 

1. No legitimate law enforcement officer or government official is going to call you to threaten you with arrest or other legal consequences.
2. Verify the caller. While spoofing is less common than it used to be, scammers can still use technology to make a call appear as if it’s coming from an authentic source. It’s better to hang up, look up the agency’s number on your own, and then call them back.
3. Never pay someone who wants payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. It’s usually a scam, and once the money is gone, it’s hard to get it back.
4. Try not to panic. It’s understandably scary to get a call from a law enforcement officer telling you that you may be arrested, but don’t act out of fear. Take a moment and assess the situation. Call someone you trust or our office 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

If you do receive such a call from a scammer, hang up and report it to local law enforcement, or file a complaint with our office at www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.