MARSHALL COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a fake warrant scam that is once again being reported.
“For whatever reason, this weekend, it really picked up,” Sheriff Phil Sims told News 19.
Operation Christmas Child kicks off National Donation Week
Sunday, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) posted to Facebook to warn people about the scam.
Sheriff Phil Sims told News 19 that scammers will call people and pose as a Sheriff’s Deputy. The scammers will then tell the person who answers the phone that there is a warrant out for their arrest for failing to appear or not paying a traffic offense.
Sheriff Sims said scammers are using spoofing apps to make it seem like the calls are coming from the Sheriff’s Office, and that adds to the level of believability.
“What they do is they take the number they’re calling from and disguise it, or mask it with a legitimate number,” Sims said. “A lot of times it’s a government agency like us, and then when that person calls that number back from our caller I.D., the actual agency will pick up and make it look like it’s a legitimate phone call.”