The DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office shared on their Facebook page that they have been made aware of a well known Scam recirculating in our area, and we would like to remind citizens to be cautious if you should receive a call, email, or text from individuals claiming that: “We have a warrant for your (or your loved ones) arrest.”
HOW IT WORKS: (Tactics may vary over time)
You receive a call from a number (that may even appear to be your local law enforcement agency.) You are told there is a warrant, or will be a warrant for your arrest….unless you pay a fee immediately. You may be asked to pay using gift cards, iTunes cards, MoneyGram, etc. The scammer may have obtained small tidbits of information to make their story JUST believable enough, such as a loved ones name or your address. These details are easily obtained via your social media or tossed out mail. Do not be naive as to think they are legitimate simply because they knew one little detail about your life. The caller will also try to keep you on the phone until you pay them the money they desire, they will NOT want you hang up, or want you to contact anyone to verify. The scammers goal is to scare you into making a knee-jerk decision with threats and unprofessionalism.
These scams can sometimes appear to be legitimate due to the phone numbers used and manner in which they communicate. Some are blatantly obvious to be a Scam, and others can be more convincing. Though each complaint is investigated, these types of scams can originate from outside of the United States. In the interim, we would like to provide the public with some red flags that will help you determine the legitimacy of such a call, and how you should proceed:
1. Tell the caller you are going to hang up to call and verify this warrant with your local law enforcement agency. You will immediately notice the caller get more agitated and attempt to come up with reasons you should stay on the line. This is your first RED FLAG! Accept no excuses, and hang up the call.
2. A government agency, law enforcement agency, bank or otherwise legitimate business will NOT request you to pay using alternative and unconventional payment methods such as gift cards, pre-paid cards, iTunes cards, Amazon cards, Steam cards, or the like. These agencies should be professional, and encourage your desire to verify their legitimacy before moving forward with a money transaction.
3. DO NOT provide the caller any personal information, and do not say “Yes” to anything they say. If they should ask “Is this (your name)” do not say “yes” just simply reply, “Who is this?” You may also be asked to verify your birthdate, last four digits of your Social Security number, address, etc. Any single one of these details may be the final key they are needing to using your information as a form of Identity Theft. Don’t become a victim, hang up the phone.
HOW TO REPORT:
While the sheriff’s office always appreciates the public informing them of a Scam circulating, 99.9% of these scammers are calling out of areas such as India, China, the Middle East, etc. and there is very little local law enforcement can do to investigate or hold accountable a foreign actor. Your best course of action is to hang up, block the contact number, and if you should want to report it to an agency that is able to investigate you can visit www.ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-382-4357.