Sheriff warns of fake deputy calls demanding payment

Scammers are calling people in Chickasaw County and pretending to be the sheriff's office. They say you owe an overdue balance and demand payment. Sheriff Ryan Shawver says his office has heard about these calls and wants residents to know they are fake.

What changed

The calls may look real. Shawver says they can appear to come from a local phone number. Scammers can make a number on your screen look like something it is not, so a familiar area code does not prove who is on the line.

The sheriff was blunt about one point. His office will never call you to demand payment for anything. If a caller does, that alone tells you it is not the sheriff's office.

Who it affects

Anyone in the county with a phone could get one of these calls. A demand for money from someone claiming to be law enforcement is meant to scare people into acting fast. That pressure is the trick.

The sheriff also raised a second problem. Over the past week, his office received several reports of vehicles being entered and items stolen. That mainly concerns people who leave cars unlocked or valuables where they can be seen.

What to do

The alert box above lays out the steps. In short, hang up on any caller who demands payment, share nothing personal or financial, and lock your vehicle every night, even in your own driveway.

What happens next

The material does not say how many people got the calls, whether anyone lost money, or who is behind them. It also does not say whether the thefts are linked to the scam. They appear to be two separate concerns.

The sheriff asks residents to report suspicious vehicles or activity promptly. He notes deputies cannot be everywhere at once, but one may be nearby to respond, and timely reports help his office investigate.