MURFREESBORO, TN – The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to stay alert after scammers posed as School Resource Officer Jamie Bailey and convinced a local woman to hand over money. The fraudsters told her she could avoid going to jail if she paid cash. Believing the call was real, she complied.
Afterward, she phoned Bailey at the Sheriff’s Office to follow up about the supposed arrest warrants. Bailey was stunned—he had no idea what she was talking about. When she explained she had been speaking with “him” all day, Bailey quickly realized she had been tricked. His first question was simple: “How much money did you give the scammers?”
This troubling incident highlights a scam that preys on fear. Deputies want the public to know they will never call and demand money to settle warrants. If someone is wanted for a crime, deputies meet with that person in person. They do not take cash over the phone, and they certainly don’t threaten arrest as a way to extort money.
The Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to spread the word so family and friends…don’t fall victim to these schemes. Scammers often use the names of real officers to sound convincing, but the tactic is always the same—pressure, fear, and a demand for payment…