Palm Coast, FL – Someone is using the power of a deputy’s badge to commit a crime in Flagler County.
That’s the word from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office after several residents complained about phone calls they’ve received recently from someone claiming to work for that law enforcement agency.
FCSO spokesman Jim Troiano says the calls – which come from a man claiming to be a FCSO captain or lieutenant with the Warrants Division – are a scam.
“When the subject calls, he states that there is an active warrant for their arrest and says the victim must pay a $1,000 fine,” Troiano noted. “In one case, the caller told the complainant to obtain two $500 prepaid credit cards to give to the sheriff’s office.”
Troiano says FCSO will never ask for any kind of payment over the phone and that in itself should be a tip-off that it’s a scam.
“Anyone who receives a telephone call of this nature should not give any personal information over the phone and should not send money, gift cards, cashier’s checks or prepaid cards,” Troiano added. “They are asked to contact the sheriff’s office or their local law enforcement agency immediately and provide information about the call, [including] the caller’s phone number.”
Troiano also noted that FCSO’s heard of a similar scam underway in Volusia County and that this particular scammer’s voicemail indicates that he works for the Sheriff’s Office.
FCSO doesn’t have a handle at this point on who the suspect is, per Troiano. FCSO also didn’t say if any of the residents who were contacted by the scammer actually sent money to him.
Anyone with information or who might be a victim is asked to call FCSO’s Investigative Services Division at 386-586-4801 or Crime Stoppers at 888-277-8477 to remain anonymous and possibly qualify for a cash reward.
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.