'We don't do that': Scammers impersonate Polk County Sheriff's Office

FOR AUGUST 18TH. PHONE SCAMMERS ARE IMPERSONATING THE POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE TO TRY TO GET SOME QUICK CASH. KCCI PEPPER PURPURA TALKED WITH THE SHERIFF ABOUT THE RED FLAGS THAT YOU NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR. PEPPER STACY, THESE SCAMS ARE GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS TRYING TO SOUND REAL, USING THE NAMES OF REAL PEOPLE WORKING AT THE OFFICE AND SPOOFING REAL NUMBERS THAT ARE TIED TO THE DEPARTMENT. HELLO? MAN THIS IS POLK COUNTY SHERIFF KEVIN SCHNEIDER. I’M CALLING TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU FAILED TO SHOW UP FOR JURY DUTY. A RECREATION OF A REAL PROBLEM GETTING BAD ENOUGH. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS SPEAKING UP. THIS IS NOT A REAL DEAL. BUT IT IS HAPPENING A LOT. WE’VE HAD SEVERAL JUST THIS WEEK. AGAIN, SCAMMERS ARE CALLING PEOPLE AROUND POLK COUNTY PRETENDING TO BE THE LOCAL SHERIFF’S OFFICE. WE TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT AND A LOT OF CITIZENS ARE BEING RIPPED OFF BECAUSE OF IT. EVEN USING REAL OFFICERS NAMES AND SPOOFING REAL PHONE NUMBERS FROM THE DEPARTMENT. SO WHEN IT COMES UP ON YOUR SCREEN, IT LOOKS LIKE A NUMBER THAT CAME FROM THE COUNTY. AND THAT’S ALL BEING ELECTRONICALLY ENHANCED AND USED IMPROPERLY. NOW THEY’RE TRYING TO STOP THESE SCAMS. ON TUESDAY, THE DEPARTMENT PUSHED A VIDEO TO THE WEB EXPLAINING WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR. AND LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL NEVER CALL YOU DEMANDING MONEY. SOME OF THE RED FLAGS TO LOOK FOR CALLERS INFORMING YOU OF MISSING JURY DUTY THAT YOU KNEW NOTHING ABOUT. HE CLAIMS THERE’S AN ARREST WARRANT OUT FOR YOU AND THE OFFER TO RESOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS WITH A PAYMENT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ASK FOR AN UNUSUAL WAY TO PAY LIKE CRYPTOCURRENCY WIRE TRANSFERS OR GIFT CARDS. WE DON’T DO THAT. WE DON’T ALLOW PEOPLE TO BUY THEIR WAY OUT OF JAIL CALLS OR BELIEF. YOU MIGHT BE THE VICTIM OF THIS SCAM. REPORT

Real details to back a fake claim. Polk County Sheriff's Office said they're battling a new kind of scam that is using their office to trick people into giving up their money.The department said numerous cases had been reported of people receiving phone calls from someone claiming they're from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, even using real officers' names and spoofing the office's real phone numbers in some cases."We take offense to that and a lot of citizens are being ripped off because of it," Polk County Sherriff Kevin Schneider said. "When it comes up on your screen, it looks like a number that came from the county (but) that's all being electronically enhanced."Now, the sheriff's office is working to educate people on this new scam. Tuesday, they released a video recreating some common tactics the callers use and walk people through the signs a call may not be legitimate.A news release on the matter also outlines some common indicators that a call may be a scam:- Requesting payment to avoid arrest- Requesting payment to aid a family member that is supposedly in trouble - Requesting personal information like Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers- Request payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer- The caller is very persistent or pushy and gets aggravated when questioned If you get a suspicious call, the sheriff's office said you should hang up and call local law enforcement to verify the claim. If you believe you may be the victim of a scam, report it to local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission.

POLK COUNTY, Iowa —

Real details to back a fake claim. Polk County Sheriff's Office said they're battling a new kind of scam that is using their office to trick people into giving up their money.

The department said numerous cases had been reported of people receiving phone calls from someone claiming they're from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, even using real officers' names and spoofing the office's real phone numbers in some cases.

"We take offense to that and a lot of citizens are being ripped off because of it," Polk County Sherriff Kevin Schneider said. "When it comes up on your screen, it looks like a number that came from the county (but) that's all being electronically enhanced."

Now, the sheriff's office is working to educate people on this new scam. Tuesday, they released a video recreating some common tactics the callers use and walk people through the signs a call may not be legitimate.

A news release on the matter also outlines some common indicators that a call may be a scam:

- Requesting payment to avoid arrest

- Requesting payment to aid a family member that is supposedly in trouble

- Requesting personal information like Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers

- Request payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer

- The caller is very persistent or pushy and gets aggravated when questioned

If you get a suspicious call, the sheriff's office said you should hang up and call local law enforcement to verify the claim. If you believe you may be the victim of a scam, report it to local authorities and the Federal Trade Commission.

'We don't do that': Scammers impersonate Polk County Sheriff's Office

GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS

Good Housekeeping