Law enforcement warn public of multiple, widespread scam attacks

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — Scammers are on the rise again across Eastern North Carolina and this time, many different types of people are being targeted.

Officials with the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office said scammers are targeting the victims in numerous ways. Recently, they’ve seen it being done with concert tickets, people getting fake calls about missing jury duty and calls saying they were going to jail.

They said even medical professionals are being scammed over their licenses. “Very intelligent, common people are falling for this. It isn’t just the population that at some may think they can get something overall,” Sargeant Lee Darnell said. “It’s very well-educated professionals. These criminals are, they’re good. They know those triggers to pull. They know how to get you upset, concerned, and to push you to where you have to do this right now. If you hang up, we’re just going to come get you and put you in jail.”

He said scammers are going online to get officials’ names and titles of people and are using them, and are even spoofing telephone numbers.

Sgt. Darnell said the best way to avoid the scammers is just to hang up on whoever is calling. He said to look up the company you think is contacting you and call the number on their official website to see if it is real or not.

As always, another tip is to remember that if what someone is offering seems too good to be true, it probably is and is not real.

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