Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps is once again emphasizing that his office will not call you about outstanding warrants or tell you they can be taken care of through the purchase of gift cards or making a transaction through a bitcoin machine.
Cripps says unfortunately at least one person has fallen victim to the scam and lost several thousand dollars.
The scam involves those calling spoofing the sheriff’s department’s actual number and then identifying themselves by names that are actual employees of the department.
In this case, Salem Police say the person contacted was told to stay on the phone until he put money in the bitcoin machine at a local convenience store and then sent it as instructed. He was told if he hung up the phone police would be there with handcuffs to take him into custody. The victim had also been told when he was done with the transaction he should go to the sheriff’s department to have his receipt scanned and the warrant cleared.
Salem Police say with bitcoins there is no way to trace the transaction and the victim is out the money.
As the sheriff’s department deals with this scam, the sheriff is once again is warning never to give out financial information to those calling you on the phone or agree to purchase gift cards or make a bit coin transaction to take care of a problem or outstanding warrant.
Anyone with questions can contact the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at (618) 548-2141.
(This story was updated to include the information about the bitcoin portion of the scam.)
