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  • WHNT News 19

    Madison County Sheriff’s Office issues another scam warning

    By Peyton Newman,

    23 hours ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1upljB_0v4oOEKL00

    MADISON COUNTY, Ala. ( WHNT ) — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued another warning about scam calls demanding money on Facebook Tuesday.

    This time, there is a new development. Scammers are using a technique called “spoofing.”

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    Spoofing allows scammers to mask their telephone numbers with the phone number of whomever they’re impersonating. In these instances, scam calls have been appearing on victims’ phones, making it look like they were actual calls from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.

    The sheriff’s office wants people to know that, first and foremost, they will never request or demand money over the phone. No one should be submitting any form of payment, whether it be money, gift cards, Bitcoin or anything else, even if the number looks like the sheriff’s office.

    These scammers will make up scenarios, trying to trick their victims into thinking that they owe a fine or are in trouble, making it vital that they pay then and are there on the phone. These scenarios are not true.

    MCSO Spokesperson Brent Patterson shares the scary reality of how often these scam attempts are happening in the community.

    “This is something we’re seeing every day,” Patterson said. “Every single day. Unfortunately, our 911 centers are receiving 20 to 30 calls from victims every day. And it’s unfortunate, but that’s the world we live in right now.”

    Patterson urges everyone to call law enforcement immediately if they receive a call pretending to be the sheriff’s office and demanding money. He reiterated that people should always call the phone number on the MCSO website to verify any monetary request before paying.

    Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

    For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.

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