Carter County, Tennessee – A phone scam impersonating local deputies is prompting a public safety warning after multiple resident complaints.
According to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, scammers have been calling residents while claiming to be CCSO officers and falsely stating there is an outstanding warrant for the recipient’s arrest. Callers often use the names of real deputies and provide fake badge numbers to appear legitimate.
Investigators say the scammers typically claim the warrant is related to a missed jury duty summons or a failure to appear in court. Victims are allegedly told the warrant can be “cleared up” if a payment or “fee” is made immediately, with requested amounts ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
The sheriff’s office reports the scammers request payment through online apps such as Cash App, Venmo, or PayPal, or instruct victims to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards, or use prepaid debit cards. In some cases, callers direct victims to transfer money through Bitcoin ATMs.
The Carter County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that it will never call residents to demand money to resolve warrants or legal issues. Law enforcement agencies do not accept payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer payment apps.
Officials also warned that some scammers already possess personal information about their targets, such as dates of birth or Social Security numbers, which can make the calls seem more credible.
Residents who receive such calls are advised to hang up immediately and not provide any banking or personal identifying information under any circumstances. Those who receive scam calls are encouraged to report them to local law enforcement, even if no money was lost.
Phone-based law enforcement impersonation scams have been increasing nationwide, particularly targeting older adults, students, and workers during business hours.
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