Augusta County Sheriff’s Office warns of scam

The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office would like to make the public aware of several complaints we have received about an individual claiming to be “Deputy Hall from the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.”

This individual has been calling citizens purporting to “have warrants on file” for them for missing jury duty and directing them to call a telephone number for further information.

The Augusta County Sheriff’s does not employ a Deputy Hall, and suspects that citizens who receive these calls and follow the instructions given to them by “Deputy Hall” are likely to be the potential victims of fraud. Scammers call potential victims impersonating federal or local law enforcement saying they have missed jury duty or owe fines to the courts. Victims are then told they need to pay these fines with a green dot or pre-paid money card.

If any citizen receives a call from an individual purporting to be a Deputy Sheriff with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office, we would encourage them to verify that the individual is indeed employed by the Sheriff’s Office by calling (540) 245-5333. Deputies often use telephones when conducting business, but we will never advise citizen’s that they need to pay fines with a green dot or pre-paid money card.

Here are some good tips:

• Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payments.
• Never give out personal or financial information to unsolicited callers such as: account numbers, social security numbers, passwords or other identifying information.
• Never wire money, provide debt or credit card numbers or Green Dot MoneyPak card numbers to someone you do not know.
• If you get an inquiry from someone who says they represent a company or a government agency seeking personal information, hang up and call the phone number on your account statement or agency’s website to verify the authenticity of the request.
• Don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t know. With spoofing becoming more common, question the number on the caller ID. Be cautious and verify the person on the other end of the phone.