SCAM ALERT: If you get a call like this, hang up
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The following is a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
IDAHO FALLS — The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous calls about a reoccurring phone scam calling residents in our area lately.
The caller indicates they are with the “Bonneville Sheriff’s Department” and tells the person they have a warrant for their arrest for various reasons including missing a court hearing, unpaid fines, and missing jury duty.
This almost always is an issue the victims did not or couldn’t have known about and are being told by the scammers in various ways they will be sent to jail unless they pay money. The dialog of this scam can be quite lengthy and may even make reference to the address of the courthouse and particular officers; however, when the victim begins to question the suspiciousness of the call they are usually hung up on.
One of the numbers identified as being used by the scammers lately has been identified as 208-423-3294, which is not associated with any Bonneville County Law Enforcement agencies.
We want to remind the public that law enforcement does contact people for purposes related to a law enforcement functions or investigation from time to time. What law enforcement and the Bonneville County Courts DO NOT do is collect money over the phone to pay for fines or other court costs that you may or may NOT be aware of.
Most of these scams ask for a credit card number, or ask the victims to go to a store and get an international money card, pre-paid VISA card, I-tunes card, etc. and then call back with the information. There is never a time when law enforcement will ask for money to take care of fines, warrants, taxes, or other court issues in this manner as they most often require an appearance to the courts or jail, or in person contact with a law enforcement officer.
Anytime you receive a phone call that is suspicious in nature DO NOT give out any personal information and hang up immediately. You can always contact our dispatch number to report suspicious activity and/or to verify that an officer may be trying to reach you.