Crime & Safety
Shelby County, OH Scam: Fake Deputy Calls Target Residents
Shelby County, OH – Residents are being warned about a phone scam involving callers allegedly impersonating local law enforcement officers and claiming victims have missed court dates.
By Marcus Hale · 2026-10-05T20:50:28.528Z
Shelby County, OH – Residents are being warned about a phone scam involving callers allegedly impersonating local law enforcement officers and claiming victims have missed court dates.
According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, authorities have received reports of scam calls from people falsely identifying themselves as members of local law enforcement. Most recently, a caller has allegedly been using the name "Deputy John Campbell."
Authorities said the scammers are leaving voicemails claiming recipients missed a court date. The messages then instruct residents to return the call using a telephone number supplied in the voicemail.
The sheriff's office warned that scammers can use caller ID spoofing technology to make a call appear to originate from a legitimate police department , sheriff's office or other government agency. Some calls may also appear to come from private or blocked numbers.
Residents should not assume a call is legitimate simply because the displayed phone number appears to belong to law enforcement.
Officials recommend independently verifying suspicious calls by contacting the law enforcement agency directly using a trusted, publicly listed telephone number rather than returning a call to a number provided in a voicemail.
Residents should also avoid providing personal, financial or other sensitive information to unexpected callers.
Anyone who receives a suspicious call or is uncertain whether a law enforcement message is legitimate should contact their local agency directly.
The sheriff's office is also encouraging residents to share the warning with family members, friends and neighbors to help prevent additional people from becoming victims.