The Dallas County Sheriff's Department is raising the alarm about a resurgence of a phone scam, where con artists masquerading as law enforcement officials coerce victims into paying non-existent warrants through fear, the Department said in a recent statement. In a classic case of deception, these swindlers are cold-calling innocent people, claiming they must fork over cash to avoid arrest, a situation that the Sheriff's Department insists is a bold-faced scam, as real law enforcement entities do not solicit money over the phone or demand payments with gift cards.
In a move to educate the public about these fraudulent tactics, the Dallas County DA's Office teamed with the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, emphasizing, "The Dallas County Sheriff's Department will never call to ask for payment over the phone, and the Department will never ask for payment in gift cards," urging the community to stay aware and be skeptical of such calls. The Dallas Sheriff's Department took to social media to broadcast their warning, highlighting that the scam had once again surfaced in the area and people should guard their wallets and personal information against these tricksters.
The shared message from the official Facebook page of the Dallas County Sheriff's Department shares: "🚨SCAM ALERT🚨 We've been made aware of a scam circulating once again. Individuals are receiving calls from people claiming to be law enforcement stating they must pay to avoid arrest on a warrant. THIS IS A SCAM. Law enforcement will never request payment over the phone, through wire transfers, gift cards or websites not affiliated with law enforcement." The statement urges community members to disseminate this critical piece of information amongst their social circles.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Department is actively working to neutralize this renewed threat and has called on residents to be vigilant, emphasizing the importance of questioning the legitimacy of requests for money over the phone because the phenomenon of law enforcement seeking cash to quell outstanding warrants is simply not how the system works, it's not only deceitful but seeks to prey on the uninformed and the unsuspecting, often those who are least able to shoulder the brunt of financial fraud. Community members are encouraged to report suspicious calls to the authorities and to remain alert to the fact that if it sounds too good to be true, or in this case, too outlandish, it probably is a scam.
