The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about a new phone scam making the rounds.
Over the weekend, there was a spike in reports of scammers pretending to be Sheriff’s Office employees. These callers claim the person they’re contacting has missed jury duty and needs to pay a fine right away to avoid being arrested.
To make their scheme more convincing, the scammers use names of actual current or former Sheriff’s Office employees, often pulled from websites and social media. They also spoof phone numbers to make it look like the call is coming from the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone that they will never ask for money, gift cards, or payments over the phone. If you get a call like this, hang up immediately and avoid sharing any personal information or making payments.