The Newton County Sheriff’s Department is alerting citizens to a new phone scam in which callers are impersonating law enforcement officers, threatening residents with arrest, and demanding payments to avoid jail time. Sheriff Joedy Pennington confirmed that the department has received multiple reports from concerned citizens about these fraudulent calls.
The scammers have been manufacturing fake arrest warrants and affidavits, using these false documents to intimidate their targets into thinking they are in legal trouble. The fraudulent callers claim that unless fines are paid immediately, the victim will be arrested.
In a public Facebook post, the Sheriff’s Department stated, “The Newton County Sheriff’s Office has become aware of another scam. Someone has been contacting Newton County citizens and pretending to be law enforcement officers. They have also fraudulently made up fake arrest warrants and affidavits, they are threatening arrest and jail time if the fine is not paid. They also use an app to produce a fake phone number that cannot be traced.”
The scammers have used technology that allows them to manipulate phone numbers, making the calls appear as if they are coming from legitimate sources. This tactic, according to Pennington, adds another layer of deception, making it more challenging for people to recognize the scam.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized, “The Newton County Sheriff’s Office will never call you by phone in an attempt to serve an arrest warrant. If you receive a call from these individuals, do not comply with anything they say and hang up.”
Local authorities are urging anyone who receives one of these suspicious calls to report the incident to law enforcement. Residents are encouraged to provide any phone numbers or details from the conversation to help investigators.
The Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating the scam and working to prevent further incidents. Citizens are reminded to remain vigilant, share this information with friends and family, and avoid engaging with or sending money to anyone making demands over the phone.
