Sheriff's Association Reminds You: Don't Be a Victim of Fraud

The Sheriff’s Association of New Jersey (SANJ) has noticed a significant increase in the number of frauds reported over the last twelve months. This has been the trend, not only at Sheriff’s Offices, but throughout New Jersey. Fraudulent callers claim to be Sheriff’s Officers and have gone as far as spoofing the phone number of the local Sheriff’s Office to make their victims believe that the call is originating from a legitimate agency. Fraudulent callers try many tactics to pressure victims into providing personal information or paying a fee. They often convince victims to withdraw money from the bank to avoid being arrested.

Typically, in the scam, the caller tells the would-be victim that they missed jury duty, or a court date or that there is a warrant for their arrest. The victim is then told they need to pay a fine in order to avoid arrest. Victims are instructed to stay on the phone with the caller as they go to the bank to withdraw funds. Then they are told to send the money via Bitcoin, Zelle or Venmo

Other common scams are:

• Email or phone call advising that your accounts have been hacked.

• Email or pop-up from Microsoft advising you that your computer has been hacked.

• Email or pop-up from the Geek Squad claiming you owe money or have been hacked.

• A Facebook message that you have been hacked.

• Caller from a bank or other business claiming to update their records by asking for personal data.

• Caller claiming to be law enforcement, stating there is a warrant for your arrest.

• Caller claiming your grandchild was in an accident and needs bail money.

Any caller telling you to buy gift cards or submit money to a Bitcoin or cash machine for payment is not legitimate. Some scammers will tell you they need to get access to your computer to fix the problem. This is a ploy, and you should never allow anyone access to your computer. If you receive a call or email that you think is suspicious, immediately contact a family member or law enforcement to verify legitimacy.

If you have been scammed, report the incident to your County Sheriff’s Office or local law enforcement right away. Remember to never share personal or financial information with any unknown individual. Members of the SANJ are committed to capturing these suspects and protecting the citizens of New Jersey from being victims in the future.