Lane County residents should be on guard against a growing telephone and electronic scam that pretends to come from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. According to Sgt. Levi McKenny, the department’s public information officer, the fraud has been “around for years” but has seen a recent uptick.
How the scam operates
Scammers call, text or email victims while claiming to be sheriffs’ sergeants. In some cases they even use the real names of actual deputies, lending the ruse an air of legitimacy. The callers often appear to dial from official‑looking numbers or leave voicemail greetings that sound official. They typically already possess some personal details about the target, which helps convince the victim that the contact is genuine.
The fraudulent messages warn of outstanding warrants, missed jury duty, or other unresolved legal matters. In more elaborate versions, the scammers claim a family member is incarcerated and offer to accept bail money so the person can be released. Payment requests are made through digital channels such as cryptocurrency, mobile‑payment apps, or kiosks, and the scammers may threaten arrest if the victim does not comply.
Official response
Sgt. McKenny emphasized that the Lane County Sheriff’s Office will never ask for money by phone, text, or email, nor will it contact anyone about missed jury duty or demand payment to free a detainee. “If you receive a call claiming to be from our office and you suspect a scam, hang up, then call the dispatch center at 541‑682‑4150, option 1, to verify,” he wrote in an email to local media on Thursday, Aug. 27.
The department urges anyone who receives such a call to avoid providing personal or financial information. Verifying the call with dispatch not only protects the individual but also helps law‑enforcement track the perpetrators.
What residents can do
- Do not share personal data, bank details, or cryptocurrency wallet addresses with unknown callers.
- Hang up immediately if the caller asks for payment or threatens legal action.
- Call the Lane County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center at 541‑682‑4150, option 1, to confirm the legitimacy of the call.
- Report the incident to the sheriff’s office so investigators can pursue the scammers.
Scams of this nature exploit the public’s trust in law‑enforcement and aim to extract money from vulnerable citizens. By staying informed and following the verification steps outlined above, Lane County residents can help protect themselves and their neighbors from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.
Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.
