REGIONAL- If you receive an unsolicited phone call from someone claiming to be from the St. Louis County Sheriff’s department, you’re likely the target of a scam.
An unknown person posing as a St. Louis County Sheriff’s officer has been calling citizens and trying to convince them that a warrant will be issued for their arrest for missing “jury duty” or a “court date,” a problem that sending some money will supposedly take care of.
A press release from the Sheriff’s Office said that the latest scam victim was told to drive to a CVS Pharmacy to make the funds transfer. The potential victim hung up the phone and reported the incident.
The scammer has left messages for potential victims and has a voicemail set up for return calls. When making contact with a victim, the suspect tries to convince or scare victims to send money to avoid a warrant for their arrest.
The names of deputies Nate Skelton and Jon Skelton and Undersheriff Jason Lukovsky have been used by the scammer, according to the release. People should be wary of anyone who calls who identifies themselves as being with the county sheriff’s department and attempts to arrange a money transfer to avoid a warrant. The Sheriff’s Office does not reconcile warrants in that manner, the release said.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind the public to protect personal information. Identity thieves will pose as various professionals in order to “verify” some data to try to gain personal information or in this case an immediate financial gain through electronic means or gift cards.