Phone Scam Alert 2/21/25

SCAM WARNING

There has been an extraordinary increase in scam callers in our community over the last several weeks.  These criminals are calling people and "spoofing" the telephone number of my office.  "Spoofing" is a way criminals falsify the telephone number they are calling from and use a legitimate number that belongs to someone else.  This is done via the internet using VOIP technology.  For example, when you receive a call that has been "spoofed" it will appear on your caller ID as (706)485-8557 which is the main number of the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, but they are actually calling from another number.

These criminals call people and say they are with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office and tell their victims that they have failed to appear for jury duty, and they have to pay a fine or they will be arrested.  They usually instruct the victim to withdraw cash and take the cash to an ATM that will send funds via bitcoin, although they sometimes will instruct the victim to get gift cards.  In some cases, they may send a courier to your home to take possession of the cash.  Of late they have emailed victims a copy of a counterfeit federal arrest warrant.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office WILL NEVER call you and tell you to send money or other types of funds anywhere for any reason.  If we were to have a warrant for your arrest you wouldn't be called, texted, or emailed about it.

In some incidents they text or email their victims.  Sometimes they claim to be with the Social Security Administration.  There have been cases where they claim you failed to pay a toll road fee or tell you that you won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes or some other contest.

Since January 1st of this year people in Putnam County have lost over $100,000.00 to fraud schemes like this.

All calls, texts, or emails you may receive like those previously mentioned are SCAMS !

 DO NOT, DO NOT ...send any money or funds to these people under any circumstances !!!

Howard R. Sills, Sheriff