A sheriff's office says scammers are calling crash victims and offering to sell them their own accident report. Real police do not do that.
The Hart County Sheriff's Office is warning that scammers are phoning people who were recently in a car crash and offering to sell them a copy of their accident report. The sheriff's office says this is a scam. Neither the sheriff's office nor the Hartwell Police will call to sell you a police report.
After a crash, you often need the report for insurance or repairs. That makes a call about it feel believable, and you may be in a hurry. A fake caller can use that pressure to get your money or your personal details.
Sheriff Chris Carroll says a crash report from his office can be had directly from the office at 890 Vickery Street in Hartwell. It can also be requested through the Sheriff's Office Mobile App. The steps in the alert box above cover what to do if a call like this reaches you.
The sheriff also urges caution with any unexpected call from someone pretending to be a government or law enforcement official who asks for payment or personal information. His advice is simple: hang up. If a number is not familiar, do not answer.
The report does not say how many people have been called, how the callers know about recent crashes, or whether anyone has lost money. It also does not say whether the same scam is reaching other areas. The warning comes from Hart County, but the tactic is easy to copy, so anyone dealing with a recent crash should keep it in mind.
If someone calls offering to sell you your accident report, hang up, because the police do not sell reports by phone.
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