TULARE COUNTY – The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a new scam that is targeting people with bogus threats of warrants.
The Sheriff’s Office sent a public service announcement on July 16, advising the public to be aware of the scam and to contact law enforcement should they receive calls or texts claiming the recipient has outstanding warrants.
“The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office will never request payment over the phone, through text, email, or any other means to cancel a warrant or resolve legal matters,” the statement reads. “Legitimate law enforcement communication regarding warrants will never involve demands for immediate electronic payments or gift cards.”
The scam typically involves an individual contacting the potential victim and claiming that an outstanding warrant can be cleared by submitting payment through payment apps, such as Zelle.
The scam is reminiscent of previous scams dating back to at least 2015, in which scammers targeted people by impersonating Tulare County Sheriff’s officers in order to extort money.
A similar scam in 2018 involved an individual contacting potential victims and providing two options; pay up or be arrested. One man who contacted law enforcement at the time said that when he was contacted, he chose option two. According to a statement from Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, the caller became angry and said that deputies were being dispatched to make the arrest. The call was fraudulent.
“If you receive any suspicious calls or messages asking for money to resolve warrants or any other legal issues, do not send any money or provide personal information,” the statement reads. “Instead, contact the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office directly at (559)733-6218 to verify the status of any warrants or legal matters.”
A social media post made by the Sheriff’s office in January to warn residents of the same scam advised that if a person receives such a call, they should say, “no, thank you,” hang up, and call the Sheriff’s office.
“Don’t be fooled! Tulare County Sheriff’s personnel will never call you asking for money,” the January Facebook post reads. It eventually continues on to say, “Deputies do not serve arrest warrants over the phone. If we have a warrant for your arrest, deputies will knock on your door, not call you on the phone.”
Another current phone scam involving the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office advises individuals they have missed a federal court appointment or federal jury duty under the name of “Lt. Keith Miller.” The number the scammers are using rings back to an emergency response number at the Sheriff’s Office.
Similar scams are also being reported in Merced, Madera and Fresno, as well as other counties throughout the state.
