The Denver Sheriff Department is sounding the alarm about a fresh wave of scam calls hitting residents, with fraudsters pretending to be deputies and trying to squeeze out cash or personal information. Targets are often told they skipped jury duty or missed a court date, then pushed to pay a so-called fine on the spot or meet someone in person to hand over money. Officials say if that call comes your way, you should hang up, double-check the claim on your own, and report the scam attempt.
What The Sheriff’s Office Is Warning About
In a video posted to Facebook and on its Denver Sheriff Department news page, the department says callers are spoofing the official phone number and claiming people must pay fines or appear in court to avoid being arrested. According to the department, these scammers may tell victims to wire money, buy gift cards, or show up with cash at a specific spot, all of which are steps a real deputy would not take. The Denver Sheriff Department stresses that deputies do not call people to demand payment and urges residents to report any suspicious calls to local police and through the state’s fraud reporting portal.
How To Report It And Get Help
If one of these calls lands on your phone, authorities say to report it to your local police department, then file a complaint with the Colorado Attorney General's Office through Stop Fraud Colorado. The Denver District Attorney's Office also runs a fraud hotline at 720-913-9179 for Denver-area victims, according to the Denver District Attorney's Office.
A Scam Playbook That Will Not Quit
Impersonation phone scams have been circling Colorado for years, with local coverage documenting twists that involve demands for Bitcoin, gift cards, or direct bank transfers. Reporting from outlets including Denver7 and Denverite shows the same basic script popping up again and again: create fear, crank up the urgency, then push the victim toward untraceable payments. Colorado courts note that they send written documentation first and do not call or text to collect fines, and they flag unsolicited payment demands as major red flags; the Colorado Judicial Branch offers additional guidance.
How To Protect Yourself From Fake Deputy Calls
Officials say the safest move is to hang up on any unexpected caller who demands money or sensitive information, and to refuse all requests to pay through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers for someone you do not know. To verify whether a court or law enforcement contact is legitimate, look up official phone numbers on government websites yourself and call those numbers directly. The U.S. Marshals and other agencies recommend the same approach. If you have already sent money or shared account details, you should immediately contact your bank, then file reports with your local police department and through the state fraud portal.
Legal Fallout For The Scammers
Phone impersonation and fraud can trigger serious criminal charges, and the Denver District Attorney's Economic Crimes Unit handles complex financial and identity theft cases that may grow out of these scams, according to the Denver District Attorney's Office. Victims who lose money may have their cases referred to prosecutors for investigation. To get help or report suspected criminal activity, residents can call the DA's fraud hotline or submit a complaint through Stop Fraud Colorado.
