The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office would like to again warn the citizens of Deschutes County of the recurring warrant scam hitting our area.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has taken reports recently that community members have been contacted by subject(s) requesting money for not responding to a subpoena. The caller(s) demanded the money be sent in the form of BITCOIN. The caller(s) also use numerous intimidation techniques to facilitate the payments, namely keeping the un-suspecting victim on the telephone while the payments are being made.
With the improvements in technology, Law Enforcement has recognized the subjects involved in these scams are able to utilize local Oregon phone numbers, specifically the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office main line, making the scam appear legitimate.
Law enforcement will never contact a citizen and ask for money to clear up a warrant or any other legal matter.
Citizens should always be skeptical of any situation where an unfamiliar person is asking for money over the telephone.
Unfortunately, we have had community members fall victim to this scam in the past and we would like to prevent anyone else from falling victim in the future.
Consider talking with a neighbor, calling a friend or family member and/or sharing this information on social media. The best way to prevent someone from falling victim to this scam is through education.
If you have fallen prey to this or similar scams and have lost money as a result, please contact Deschutes County 911 Dispatch non-emergency, 541-693-6911.