MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing scam circulating across the region.
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It involves fake phone calls related to jury duty, court appearances, and alleged warrants, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck.
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The sheriff’s office also says they received a report of a scam call in which the caller claims to be Lt. Keith Collins from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. He tells the potential victim that there is a federal warrant for their arrest.
“The call was placed from 937-646-2367,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Sheriff’s Office reminds residents that scammers may use the names of actual employees in an attempt to make their calls appear legitimate.”
The caller also tells the victim they must pay a fine immediately to avoid arrest, Sheriff Streck said.
“Victims are often pressured to make payments through platforms such as PayPal, Apple Pay, money orders, bitcoin ATMs, or other electronic methods,” the sheriff’s office stated. “Scammers frequently use caller ID spoofing to make it appear the call is coming directly from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.”
Sheriff Streck says the message remains the same to avoid being scammed.
“Don’t let fear dictate your response,” he said. “The Sheriff’s Office will not call to threaten arrest or demand payment. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and verify the information through official sources.”
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