Dayton, OH – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a recent surge in scam activity, including fraudulent phone calls and phishing text messages that appear to come from legitimate companies such as Amazon.
According to Sheriff Rob Streck, scammers have been impersonating Sheriff’s Office employees and using caller ID spoofing to make their calls seem official. In some cases, residents are told they’ve missed a court appearance or face an urgent legal matter. Victims are then pressured to make immediate payments through services like PayPal or Apple Pay.
“These scammers can be extremely convincing,” Streck said. “They rely on fear and urgency to pressure people into acting quickly. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will never call residents demanding payment or threatening arrest.”
Officials also report a spike in phishing text messages designed to look like product safety recalls or refund offers from Amazon and other major retailers. These messages often include links that can lead to stolen personal or financial information.
“Legitimate companies will not ask for sensitive information through unsolicited text messages,” Streck added. “Do not click on links from unknown or unexpected sources, even if they appear to come from a trusted business.”
The Sheriff’s Office urges residents to remain cautious and discuss scam prevention with friends and family. Awareness and vigilance, officials say, remain among the best defenses against victimization.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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