ELLIS COUNTY – The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department is keeping people informed when scammers attempt to break the law and harm residents.
The latest scam the Sheriff’s Department reported is not a new one, but it is worth mentioning for residents to be careful and attentive.
It has been reported individuals are contacting residents by phone and falsely identifying themselves as employees or deputies of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department.
In this scam, the scammers are telling the victim they have missed a federal court subpoena, jury duty, or another official court appearance.
The Sheriff’s Department said the victim might be instructed to either come to the Sheriff’s Department or another location to sign paperwork or to make a payment to avoid arrest or other legal complications.
The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone that they will NEVER contact anyone by phone demanding immediate action regarding a missed court appearance or subpoena.
They will also never ask for money over the phone by a prepaid credit card, wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or any other payment application.
“Scammers are capable of spoofing phone numbers to make calls appear legitimate,” the Sheriff’s Department warned.
If you receive any call of this nature do not be alarmed and call the Sheriff’s Department at (972) 937-6060 to report this incident or verify information.