By Sheriff Travis Stolley
Over the weekend sheriff’s dispatch received reports from the community about “spoofing calls.” The calls appear to be coming from our administrative phone number pretending to be representing the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office.
Callers reported they were told they had a warrant out for their arrest with a bond associated to felony charges.
We have also heard reports of elder scams where callers telling people they need to purchase gift cards in order to make payments.
We would like the community to be aware of these types of scams and to educate yourself as much as possible on how to prevent them.
If you question the authenticity of the caller, hang up and contact our number yourself and ask clarifying questions.
Idaho State Police were plagued by spoofing calls last year and they advise how to protect yourself against spoofing scams:
Don’t provide personal information such as names, addresses, or account details over the phone unless you are certain of who is calling.
Hang up immediately if the call seems suspicious.
Verify before trusting – if a caller claims to be law enforcement, hang up and call the agency back directly using their publicly listed phone number.
Scammers thrive on fear and urgency. Take a moment to pause and verify before responding to any call. If you receive a suspicious call, don’t hesitate to hang up and report it to your local law enforcement agency and the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Your caution could be the difference between falling victim to a scam and staying safe.