CONYERS, Ga. — The Rockdale County Sheriff's Office (RCSO) is warning the public about a cloned phone number scam with its main line.
According to a release from the sheriff's office, scammers have cloned the RCSO's main number and are using it to make calls and send text messages about missed jury duty and fraudulent warrants. The sheriff's office said scammers are also sending copies of these fake warrants to their victims.
"These fraudulent warrants often contain variations of 'The District of The United States of America' or 'The Court System of The United States of America' at the top. Some even include the victim’s 'signatures' to make it seem like the person was aware of the court date," RCSO wrote in the release.
According to the sheriff's office, the scammers then tell the victim to get a bondsman and go to jail to pay a fine, but they may be arrested on arrival.
The sheriff's office said the scammer will then offer an alternate option of paying the fine at a kiosk. The money is requested in the form of gift cards, pre-paid visas and even Bitcoin. The scammers tell the victim to stay on the phone during the payment process, or a deputy will come to arrest them as soon as they hang up.
"It is important to note that the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office does not want anyone to become a victim of this scam. Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office will never call you and demand payment of any kind. If you have a real warrant, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office will not mail it to you. Instead, we will come to you personally, hand the warrant to you, and take you into custody," the sheriff's office added.
The sheriff's office advises that if someone calls you seeking money, always verify who they are and who they claim to be with.
"To avoid becoming a victim, simply hang up and call the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office," the sheriff's office concluded.
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