PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – Pasco Sheriff’s Office has seen a rise in warrant scams recently and is warning residents of what to look out for.
According to PSO, in this scam, a caller poses as a Pasco Sheriff’s Office member using an agency member’s name and demanding payment over the phone.
Often, the caller may use a victim’s personal information that can be gathered from public record searches. The caller states that if victims do not pay, an arrest warrant will be issued.
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The caller insists on payment with gift cards, wire transfers, credit cards, or through money sharing apps. These calls are not legitimate, as PSO will never discuss warrants over the phone or request payment with these methods to clear them.
PSO wants to share steps citizens can take to protect themselves from warrant scams and other similar phone call scams:
- Beware of requests for unusual payment methods, such as using gift cards to pay for government business
- Do not provide or verify personal information with the caller
- Don’t feel pressured to act due to the urgency of the caller
- End suspicious phone calls immediately and report them
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If you receive a warrant scam call, report it to local law enforcement immediately.
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