In less than two months, scammers have stolen more than $100,000 from people in Putnam County, according to Sheriff Howard Sills.
“There has been an extraordinary increase in scam callers in our community over the last several weeks,” he said. “Since Jan. 1st of this year, nine people have lost $100,800 to fraud schemes.”
The scammers appear to be calling from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office because 706-485-8557 will appear on the caller ID, which is the PCSO’s main number. In reality, the swindlers have falsified the telephone number on the caller ID and are actually calling from another number.
“This is done via the internet using VOIP technology,” Sills explained.
The caller will identify themself as someone at the sheriff’s office, many times using the name of an actual PCSO employee, he said. The caller tells whoever answered the phone that they failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a fine or they will be arrested.
In other instances, they have sent an email with a counterfeit federal arrest warrant. No matter what the accusation is, the criminals will instruct the victim to withdraw cash and take it to an ATM that accepts Bitcoin, or they instruct the victim to buy gift cards.
“In some cases, they may even send a courier to your home to take possession of the cash,” Sills added.
In other incidents, the scammer posed as a Social Security Administration official or sent a text message regarding an unpaid toll road fee.
Sills recalled one resident a few years ago who lost money when they sent money to receive a prize they were told they’d won from the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes.
“All calls, texts or emails you may receive like [these] are SCAMS,” Sills said in a notice sent to the newspaper. “The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office WILL NEVER call you and tell you to send money or other types of funds anywhere for any reason. If we have a warrant for your arrest, you won’t be called, texted, or emailed about it.
“DO NOT, DO NOT send any money or funds to these people under any circumstances,” he added.
Anyone who receives such a call and is concerned they’ll be arrested should hang up on the caller. If the message comes via text or email, do not reply, Sills said. Instead, call the sheriff’s office at 706-485-8557.