Residents of El Paso County are being targeted by a scam that's nothing new, but still just as nefarious. Impersonators pretending to be from the Sheriff's Office are duping people into handing over their hard-earned cash. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has issued a public warning about these fraudsters who are using the names and titles of command staff to lend credence to their con.
According to El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte, these scammers have been contacting locals, posing as members of the Sheriff's Office. The scammers, contacting unsuspecting victims, are falsely claiming to represent the agency and ask for money under different guises. Sheriff Oscar Ugarte has made it clear that his office "does not contact individuals to request or accept money for any reason."
The Sheriff's Office advises the public to stay alert and be skeptical of such fraudulent calls or messages. A legitimate law enforcement agency will not ask for payment through wire transfers, prepaid gift cards, payment apps, or cryptocurrency, all of which are favorite avenues for scammers due to the difficulty of tracing the funds. Should you be on the receiving end of a suspicious request, the steps to take are simple: don't provide any personal or financial information, end the communication immediately, and report the incident to the Sheriff's Office at (915) 273-3800.
