The Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be on the lookout for scam calls after a person alerted officials to a fraudulent call Tuesday.
According to a news release from the sheriff’s office, a person claiming to be a Sgt. Wilson with the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office left a message with a resident. The caller claimed to be from the sheriff’s office warrant division, and stated they were reaching out “in regards to an important legal matter and requested a call back,” according to the news release.
The Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, however, does not have a warrants devision nor a Sgt. Wilson on staff, according to the news release. The office also reminds residents they will never issue a warrant via phone call, nor will any other law enforcement entity. Law enforcement will also never ask for payment through gift cards, crypto currency or any other method.
The sheriff’s office reminds residents that scams typically increase during tax season, and residents should remain cautious when talking on the phone with someone they don’t know, according to the news release. Scammers are capable of manipulating phone numbers to make it appear they are coming from specific offices or local area codes. If a call seems suspicious, it should be reported to local law enforcement.
