Sevier County officials are sounding the alarm after residents reported a wave of tense phone calls from scammers who claim people skipped jury duty, have a citation or even a warrant, and must pay up immediately. The callers then lean hard on their targets to pull out cash, buy prepaid cards, or head to a Bitcoin ATM while staying on the line. The sheriff’s office is crystal clear: these calls are fake, and the agency will never demand payment over the phone.
What Sevier County Told Residents
In a Facebook post, the Sevier County Sheriff's Office said scammers have cloned the agency’s phone number, are posing as deputies, and are ordering would-be victims to stay on the phone while driving to a courthouse or to their bank to withdraw money. The post notes that the callers often insist on cash, Green Dot cards, or cryptocurrency deposits, and it urges residents not to share any personal or financial information. Anyone who receives a suspicious call is urged to hang up and report it to the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office at 865‑453‑4668, according to the Sevier County Sheriff's Office.
How the Scam Works
Scammers frequently spoof caller ID so the call appears to come from a local agency and then use urgent, intimidating language to push people into reacting before they think, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC notes that demands to pay with gift cards, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrency, along with instructions to use Bitcoin ATMs, are classic signs of this type of fraud. If you believe you were tricked into sending money, the agency advises contacting your bank immediately and reporting what happened.
Warnings Across Tennessee and Beyond
Similar alerts have surfaced from other county sheriffs in Tennessee, a trend local law enforcement officials say suggests a broader pattern rather than a few isolated scams, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. The federal judiciary, via U.S. Courts, reminds the public that courts do not call to demand payment and that most communication with jurors arrives by mail.
How to Respond
If you get one of these calls, hang up right away and then call the sheriff’s office back using a number you find on an official website or a recent bill, not a number the caller provides. Do not share personal, banking, or Social Security information, and do not read gift-card numbers or scan QR codes for someone on the phone. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3, report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and contact your bank if you gave out any payment details.
Legal Notes
Impersonating a law-enforcement officer and extorting money are crimes that federal and local investigators actively pursue, the U.S. Marshals Service has warned. Keeping call records, receipts, and any cryptocurrency transaction details can help investigators if you report the scam to law enforcement.
Sevier County residents with questions or tips can call the sheriff’s non-emergency line at 865‑453‑4668 and are encouraged to hold onto any receipts or screenshots related to suspicious calls. Local officials say that staying alert and reporting quickly are still the best defenses against these increasingly sophisticated scams.
