PANAMA CITY— The Bay County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a new scam targeting residents.
“We’re seeing a rise in warrant scams across Bay County — and unfortunately, people are losing thousands of dollars,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post.
Victims will receive a call or text from someone claiming to work at BCSO, with the agency saying the scammer often knows personal details about the victim. These details can include place of employment, information about family members or the number of children, according to BCSO.
The scammers are able to make any number appear on the victim’s caller ID, and will say the victim has a warrant out for their arrest. BCSO says the scammer will claim they can avoid being arrested by paying them, sometimes via a Bitcoin ATM or gift cards.
In a video posted by BCSO, Sheriff Tommy Ford said the fake warrants tend to come under the guise of missing jury duty or owing fines.
“The Bay County Sheriff’s Office will never call and demand payment to clear a warrant or avoid arrest,” the post said. “In two recent cases, victims were instructed to send $12,000 each.”
BCSO said that if a resident falls victim to this scam, they should contact the actual agency at 850-747-4700. The agency encourages residents to spread the word, especially to those who may be susceptible to scams.
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County Sheriff’s Office warns of new warrant scam
Reporting by Dylan Gentile, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
