The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a recent rise in reported scam attempts where callers pretend to be associated with local law enforcement. Officials say they’ve received multiple calls from residents concerned about a call in which the caller fraudulently identified themselves with the office and its staff in an attempt to collect personal information from the potential victim. A common type of scam involves a caller pretending to be with a department or agency of authority, such as the FBI, IRS, or, in this case, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office. They use perceived authority to coerce the victim into volunteering information or, in some instances, paying fictitious fines. Other recent examples include calls claiming a recipient has an outstanding warrant for their arrest or failed to report for jury duty. Scams come in many different forms, but there are similarities between many of them that can help unsuspecting people avoid becoming victims. Scam calls often come unsolicited and without prior knowledge, so an unexpected call from an unconfirmed source should be treated with caution. If callers attempt to collect payment, it will generally be via unusual methods, such as prepaid gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other difficult-to-recover means. When in doubt, hang up and contact the alleged caller directly using a number sourced yourself, as a scammer can “spoof” caller ID to make a call appear legitimate.
