By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department is reporting a new scam affecting residents in the county
Sheriff Bill Puett says residents have reported the scam using the name of two officers
"One who is currently a member, one who was a former member, and they're threatening them that if they do not provide them either money through gift cards or going to this FDIC cash website, which is a fake website, that they'll be arrested," Puett explains to KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Puett says the scammers are also threatening citizens that if they come to the Sheriff's office to verify the information they will be arrested and placed in jail.
Puett advises residents this is a scam, and his department would not contact people on the phone for such a thing, and if you do get these calls to report it to his office.
Puett says whether a scammer contacts you by phone or online, some basic tips apply to help you protect yourself
"Don't give anybody your personal information, don't engage with them on the phone, you know some of the best ways to do it is just hang up," Puett points out. "But don't enter personal information into things that you haven't inquired, you haven't started, somebody sends you information, there's no prince out there that's going to give you $17 million if you give them your personal information."
Scams have evolved throughout the years. Puett says things have gone from a Nigerian prince offering money to scams that prey on fear and emotion.
"We've seen scams where it's somebody that's sick or injured, we've seen scams where they use the IRS, they use a variety of things, we've had somewhere they call and say hey your loved one is in jail and they've done some horrific crime," Puett says.
Puett says if you are contacted by a con artist attempting to get information or money from you to contact his office and report it.