In Milwaukee County, the Sheriff's Office is raising the alarm about a surge in phone scams, specifically ones where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers. In light of National Scam Survivor Day, Detective J. Carey from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, provided insights to TMJ4 News on the pervasiveness of these scams across Southeast Wisconsin and the nation. These con artists are not just using the names of real law enforcement officers but are leveraging phone spoofing technology to make it seem like they are calling from authentic agency lines.
As per the Milwaukee County Sheriff's social media post, the most common ruse involves scammers demanding payment for fictitious fines — such as those for missing jury duty, outstanding arrest warrants, or unpaid taxes and fines. Oddly enough, the payments they seek come in forms like Bitcoin, cash, gift cards, or through electronic transfers.
The Sheriff's Office has made it clear that the real law enforcement officials would never ask or order individuals to pay fines through these channels. Detective Carey underscored this point, saying, "Real LEOs will NEVER ask or order you to pay them because you missed jury duty or failed to pay a previous fine."
If Milwaukee County residents receive calls from someone purporting to be a part of law enforcement and attempting to scam them, it's crucial to not immediately accept their claims. Instead, individuals are encouraged to contact the Milwaukee County Courts' Jury Management Office or the #MKESheriff Warrant Desk using the publicly available phone numbers to confirm the legitimacy of such claims. Additionally, if scammers allege money owed to the Social Security Administration, another scheme which has become all too common, the office suggests making a confirmation call to the administration directly.
