Here’s what we know about the scams.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Deputies from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office are sharing tips on how to stay alert for holiday season scams.
In Forsyth County, officials said the most common scam around this time of year is related to jury duty. Scammers are claiming to be with the “Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department” and are calling individuals to tell them they missed jury duty.
Deputies said the scammers are using official terms like “failure to appear” and “contempt of court” while referring to specific deputies by name. Various names and ranks are being used by the scammers.
Victims are being instructed by the scammers to deposit money, usually over $1,000, onto a pre-paid gift card and then provide the card number to the “deputy” over the phone. They are then told to mail the card to an address.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office says here’s how you can recognize if a call or letter could be a scam:
- Someone contacts you first, you never know who is on the other end of the phone.
- The individual promises money or prizes.
- The individual asks you to provide personal information, including banking account information or social security number.
- You have to pay them first.
- You have to wire money or send gift cards.
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office is urging people never to provide money via pre-paid cards to individuals over the phone. Officials also said that the sheriff’s office has no authority to excuse a warrant for arrest in exchange for payment.
The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office reported receiving information about someone impersonating a deputy and calling residents to request money for a bond. Deputies have confirmed this is a scam and said people should hang up immediately.
According to the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, the scammer is giving out the following Cash App number: $asht8911.
For more information about these scams, contact the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office at 336-727-2112 or the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office at 336-570-6300.
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