Maryville, TN – Blount County residents are being warned about a spike in phone scams this week after reports of callers impersonating sheriff’s deputies and demanding money for fake ankle monitor fees, outstanding warrants, or missed jury duty.
According to the Blount County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), scammers have been contacting families of incarcerated individuals and falsely claiming the person must pay thousands of dollars or face additional charges. Some victims have already lost money, deputies said Tuesday.
BCSO emphasized that at no time will deputies call a family member regarding ankle monitor eligibility. If an inmate qualifies for a monitor, the conversation occurs directly with the arrested individual and the monitoring company — never a third party. Officials believe scammers are pulling names from BCSO’s publicly accessible Inmate Now database.
In other cases, callers allegedly claim to be deputies and insist that residents must pay immediately for missed jury duty or outstanding warrants. According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies will not notify individuals this way, nor will they demand payments through bank transfers, credit cards, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
The department warned that scammers often spoof phone numbers to appear legitimate. Residents who receive suspicious calls are urged not to provide personal information and to hang up immediately. Anyone with concerns should call the Sheriff’s Office directly to confirm whether contact was legitimate.
Deputies say these scams increase during the holiday season, as criminals attempt to exploit family stress and confusion. Officials encourage residents to share warnings with relatives who may not be active on social media.
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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