The Collin County Sheriff's Office in McKinney, Texas, is raising the alarm about a significant uptick in scam calls with fraudsters posing as law enforcement or county officials. These impostors use threats and misinformation to pressure their victims into forking over money or personal details. The Collin County Sheriff's Office took to social media to enlighten residents about the tactics used by these scammers.
According to the post, these con artists may assert that you're in a legal bind, perhaps for skipping jury duty or missing a court date, and they sometimes use real names of deputies or judges to seem credible. They also "spoof" their caller ID to look like they're legit law enforcement or government agency calls. Some tactics include insisting on immediate unconventional payment methods, like gift cards or wire transfers, and some may even keep you on the phone to prevent you from confirming their claims. "No legitimate law enforcement agency or county office will ever call and demand money or threaten arrest over the phone," the Collin County Sheriff's Office stressed, urging anyone who gets such a call to hang up immediately.
Victims of these scams or those who may have inadvertently sent money to fraudsters are encouraged to complete a Scam Alert Form on the Sheriff's Office website. Afterwards, they should make immediate contact using the provided non-emergency number, 972-547-5350.
