FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – Almost one year to the day of the last phone scam of Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office deputy impersonators, the county is warning residents of another.
It has been reported “that another aggressive and sophisticated phone scam targeting citizens has been making the rounds throughout the county,” the sheriff’s office said Monday afternoon.
The sheriff’s office said impersonators are pretending to be Robert or Richard Jefferson, employees of the sheriff’s office. But, Cumberland County also said the impersonators have used different employee names intermittently, as well as phone numbers, to alter the caller ID.
“These con artists constantly change the phone numbers they are calling from and use different employee names and ranks,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Victims are told they owe money…The scammers often leave an ‘urgent’ callback request if the phone isn’t answered,” deputies also said.
Cumberland County said the scammers are demanding “the debt” be paid right away through a pre-loaded debit or gift card or wire transfer. If he or she is uncooperative, they are threatened with arrest, deportation, or suspension of a business or driver’s license.
If this has happened to you, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is asking you to call its office at (910)323-1500, Attorney General Josh Stein at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or 911.
It also wants to remind you of key tips:
- The Sheriff’s Office will NEVER: 1) call to demand immediate payment, nor will any LAW ENFORCEMENT agency call about a jury summons without first having mailed you a summons;
- The Sheriff’s Office will NEVER: 2) require you to use a specific payment method for your fine, such as a prepaid debit card;
- The Sheriff’s Office will NEVER: 3) ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone or in person.
- The Sheriff’s Office will NEVER: 4) threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
