Benton County Sheriff's Warning About Phone Scams

Scam calls are getting out of control. Fraudulent callers are trying to trick you into giving money or your personal information, using urgency, or threats (like arrest or utility shutoff), or impersonating trusted entities (IRS, tech support, banks). Don't fall for any of it.

The Benton County Sheriff's Office Is Warning Residents of the Latest Scam.

Recently, there's been an extraordinary number of reports about a scam where callers claim you MUST pay money to clear a warrant, or case.

**IMPORTANT**

Law enforcement agencies, including the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, will never call you and demand payment to clear a warrant or case.

What You Should Do, If You Receive a Scam call

If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Do NOT send money. Do NOT provide any personal information.

Red Flags to Determine a Scam

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• Urgency or threats: If there's any demand for immediate action, threats of arrest, fines, or service cutoffs, it's a scam.
• Payment Demands: No legitimate business demands payment in in gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, or payment apps.
•Requesting your personal info: Government agencies and banks do NOT call to confirm sensitive detais, such as your social security number.
•Caller ID spoofing: The number may look familiar, but is NOT legitimate.

To protect yourself from a scam, hang up, immediately. Don't engage. Never provide any information. Never click links. Never agree to anything.

If you have sent money, or feel you're a victim of a scam, report it to the FTC.

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Filed Under: scams