A Hermitage woman says she was tricked into sending more than $1,200 to a caller who claimed to be a Davidson County Sheriff’s deputy. Christy Mathis told police the call came on June 24, 2026, and that she was pressured to move money through an online payment app for what she believed was a family member’s pretrial release into a drug-treatment program. Metro detectives are investigating, and the money has not been recovered.
How the scam unfolded
According to WKRN News 2, Mathis told officers the caller introduced himself as “Deputy Brad Miller” and said payment was required to secure a placement in a program. The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office told the station it “does not employ anyone named Brad Miller” and stressed that it “will never request payments via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or mobile apps.” Mathis said she realized she had been scammed only after more than $1,200 was already gone.
Why the call sounded official
Scammers are getting better at impersonating real officials, often leaning on sophisticated spoofing and voice-mimicking tools. Federal authorities flagged this trend in the 2025 Internet Crime Report, which logged more than 22,000 AI-related complaints and nearly $893 million in losses and identified government impersonation as one of the costliest kinds of fraud, according to the FBI IC3. With callers sounding more polished and “official” than ever, even typically cautious people can get pulled in before they realize something is off.
Warnings from local law enforcement
Metro Nashville police and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office are urging residents to treat any unsolicited demand for money or personal information as a major red flag. Metro told WKRN News 2 it is investigating the June 24 incident and that no arrests had been made as of July 14, 2026. Mathis told the station her funds have not been recovered. Officials say anyone who is unsure about a call should hang up and dial Metro’s non-emergency line at 615-862-8600 to verify the story.
How to protect yourself
Neither the sheriff’s office nor Metro will ever insist on instant payment by app, gift card, or cryptocurrency, which is a clear signal that something is wrong. Victims are urged to contact their bank immediately and file a report with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center so investigators can attempt to trace the funds. If a caller claims a loved one is in sudden legal trouble or needs emergency help, officials recommend hanging up and calling that person directly using a number you already know.
A wider pattern in Tennessee
Cases like Mathis’s fit into a larger statewide surge in scam-related losses. Data aggregators recorded a sharp rise in money lost to scams in Tennessee in 2025, placing the state among the top 20 nationwide for reported financial losses, according to ScamComplaints.org. Law-enforcement officials and consumer advocates say impersonation schemes and AI-enabled tricks are making extra caution a necessity for Tennesseans of all ages. Anyone who believes they have been targeted is urged to report the incident to Metro and to the IC3 as soon as possible.
