Knox County, Tennessee – The Knox County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers threaten arrest to demand payment.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, officials have seen a recent increase in reports of scammers falsely claiming to be deputies. Callers allegedly tell victims they missed a court appearance and that an arrest warrant has been issued.
Authorities say scammers may text or send fake court documents appearing to come from the United States District Court and may reference a judge’s name to appear legitimate. Victims are reportedly instructed to pay money immediately at a kiosk or payment location to avoid being taken into custody.
In some cases, callers allegedly order victims not to speak with anyone else and attempt to keep them on the phone to prevent verification.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that it, along with local and federal courts, will never call to demand payment, threaten immediate arrest, require kiosk or gift card payments, or instruct someone not to discuss a court matter.
Residents who receive such calls are advised not to send money, not to provide personal or financial information, and to hang up immediately. Incidents can be reported to local law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Officials urge residents to verify suspicious calls by contacting agencies directly using official phone numbers.
