County Magazine

We've all been there: that moment of hesitation when an unexpected call comes in from an unknown number. Yet, even the most cautious can find themselves answering the phone only to discover a sscammer on the other end of the line.

According to Sgt. Hillary Garcia of the Randall County Sheriff’s Office, scam phone calls have been on the rise during the past decade, escalating exponentially in recent years. Even during the first few months of this year, dozens of law enforcement agencies, including sheriff and constable offices, across Texas have warned residents of various scams associated with their respective agencies.

Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office has received up to 10 reports a day of scams, according to KCBD news channel.

In the most common scenarios, as highlighted in recent cases involving the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, scammers skillfully adopt the identities of local law enforcement individuals and employ technology to mimic the agency's phone numbers. Then, the exploitation begins.

In January, an Angelina County resident told local KTRE news station that a scammer told her to withdraw $3,600 from the ATM and convert it to Bitcoin or else she’d face a fine linked with outstanding warrants.

Frequently weaponizing the recipient's private information, scammers inform residents of purported fines, threatening an impending arrest warrant unless immediate payment is made. Alternatively, they may allege evasion of jury duty, pressuring individuals to meet in person for payment or settle the matter over the phone.

“This type of scam has been around for years,” said Kristen Dark, senior public information officer for Travis County Sheriff’s Office. “The scammers hit Travis County in waves, using the names of Travis County Sheriff’s Office deputies for several months, then using the names of Austin Police Department officers, then Pflugerville Police Department … and on it goes.

“They change their tactics as the public becomes more savvy to their lies,” she added.

When this happens, Dark and Garcia said their counties work to inform residents, primarily using social media platforms and the agency’s website to alert when a scam is active. Travis County also sends notifications to households within its jurisdiction via the Nextdoor app.

But Garcia emphasized it’s just as important for local law enforcement to preemptively inform residents about ways to quickly identify scams, ensuring they are prepared before potentially falling victim to them.

“If they’re asking for money, that should automatically be a red flag,” Garcia said.

Often, the scammers request payment using an eGift cash card or similar electronic payment methods, such as PayPal, Venmo or CashApp — none of which a governmental agency would use, Garcia said.

“And if at any point … you’re questioning the reality of the call, you should hang up and call the local sheriff’s office and ask to speak to someone in that division (from which the alleged call was received),” Garcia said. “That way, you can ultimately find out if that was true or not.”

Typically, these scammers operate from another state or even overseas, the officers said, presenting challenges for law enforcement in tracking them down — and it often becomes a multi-agency process.

“Travis County Sheriff’s Office receives reports of this criminal activity and cooperates with federal agencies (to try to catch them),” Dark said.