Everything you need to know if you receive a suspicious call, text or email.
Shutterstock photo.
(Dearborn County, Ind.) – The Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of current scams going on in the county.
Scammers are pretending to be law enforcement officers, jail staff or bondsmen and contacting victims by phone, text or email.
The scammers usually claim that a family member or loved one is in jail, or that there is an urgent problem such as missed court, contraband or bond issue.
Victims are being told that immediate payment is required to avoid jail time or additional charges. Common payment requests include gift cards, cash apps, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or bond processing fees.
These calls typically include number spoofing (caller ID looks like a local jail, courthouse or law enforcement agency), caller demands secrecy, threatens arrest or harm, refuses to allow you to verify the inmate or charges, and uses fear and urgency to rush payment.
If you receive such a call, do the following:
- Hang up immediately
- Do not send money or gift card numbers
- Independently verify inmate or charges by calling the jail or by checking the county online inmate lookup
- Report the scam to law enforcement, Indiana State Police or at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Dearborn Co. Health Department: Rising Chlamydia Cases in Our County
OCCF Grant Cycle II Applications Available
Ohio Governor Signs House Bill 492 into Law
Parasite Illness Causing Severe Diarrhea Hits Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio
Traffic Stop Leads to Seizure of Over 60 Grams of Methamphetamine and Two Arrests
Peetz to Serve as Batesville High School Assistant Principal
