Nefarious people who would rather steal your hard earned money than go out and actually get a real job are getting bolder by the day as now they are impersonating the police in search of your cold hard cash.
Just last week the Michigan State Police at the Paw Paw Post cautioned that scammers were “spoofing” the district headquarters phone number, trying to convince those receiving the calls that the State Police were calling. The caller would then tell you that your car or one that had been registered to you had been impounded and drugs were found in the vehicle. Then they would try to get your financial information to rip you off.
Now, Lt. Brett Ensfeld from the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office reports that fake calls are being made to people by somebody posing as Sheriff’s Deputies.
Ensfield says his office has received numerous calls over the last several days reporting individuals posing as deputies from the sheriff’s office and contending that they owe money.
The scammers are calling individuals and advising them that they have legal troubles and they need to call back the number which they provide. The con artists are then answering the phone and advising individuals they owe money and sometimes even requesting an in-person meeting in order to exchange money.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office wants everyone to know that they will never call individuals on the phone and request monetary payment for legal matters. It’s just not done.
Ensfeld suggests that if you receive a call and are unsure if it is a legitimate concern, you should immediately report them to the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office at 269-673-3899.
Don’t fall for the scam any time, but especially not in the holiday season.
