MANSFIELD — The Richland County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to stay alert amid reports of mail and telephone scams.
A press release issued Friday from the agency states residents have reported receiving calls from people claiming to be sheriff’s deputies. Scammers are reportedly calling residents and claiming they have an active warrant.
“The callers are attempting to pressure the call receiver into paying a fee to dismiss the warrant to avoid being arrested,” RSCO Major Jim Sweat said.
“To be clear, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office will never call a person directly and request payments of fines and/or warrants.”
Sweat said anyone who gets a call from someone claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office should call RSCO at 419-774-5881 for verification.
The Richland County Auditor’s Office was also contacted this week by a Mansfield resident, who said they received a letter from a company in Atlanta, Georgia.
Richland Source obtained a copy of the letter, which stated the recipient’s account was stagnant and their property would be transferred to the State of Ohio if they did not respond with a copy of their driver’s license or W-9, a federal tax form.
“That in and of itself gives you the impression that it’s an identity theft type of scam,” said Richland County Auditor Pat Dropsey. “Somebody is trying to scare people into thinking they owe money to the state of Ohio.”
Dropsey said if any residents want to verify that their property tax payments are up-to-date, they can call the auditor’s office at 419-774-5501. They can also visit the auditor’s website, look up their property and check the “Taxes Due” section.
To avoid scams, trust your gut and think twice before sharing personal information
If residents receive similar mailings, Sweat recommended taking time to ensure the legitimacy of the request prior to taking any action.
“These steps may include not providing personal identifying information over the
phone or internet, contacting your account holders via verified contact methods or by personal contact at your financial institutions,” Sweat said.
If residents need to contact a government office, bank or other financial institution, Sweat said it’s important to use a verified phone number or email address or to go in person.
“Unfortunately, these types of scams are becoming more frequent and complex,” Sweat said. “Please contact your local law enforcement if you suspect you have fallen victim to one of these scams.”
Imposter scams impact people of all ages
Fraud comes in many forms, from phony investment opportunities to fake sweepstakes and lotteries.
One of the most commonly reported forms of fraud is imposter scams, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission.
Imposter scams occur when a scammer pretends to be a trusted entity like a business, government entity, family member or friend.
These scams can take many forms.
Last year, imposters were “spoofing” caller IDs to make it look like they came from the Sheriff’s Office.
In February, Richland Source shared the story of an elderly widow who fell victim to an online romance scam.
An employee in the City of Mansfield’s finance department fell for a phishing scam earlier this summer.
Scammers may impersonate legitimate people and businesses by creating email addresses that are nearly identical to the ones they are impersonating, according to a bulletin and press release issued last year by Auditor of State Keith Faber.
Imposter scams impact people of all ages. While older adults tend to lose more money on average, people in their 30s and 40s reported the highest rate of fraud victimization per age group, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Experts say scammers often seek to create a false sense of urgency by claiming something bad will happen (arrest, loss of a driver’s license, fines, utility shutoff) if the target doesn’t meet their demands right away.
“They create that sense of urgency, which immediately … your fight or flight is kicked in, so you’re not thinking rationally,” said Victoria Hicks, a navigator supervisor for the Area Agency on Aging, earlier this year.
When receiving a call, email, text or other communication requesting personal information or payment, it’s important to remain calm and think before reacting. If a request seems unusual or suspicious, it may be a scam.
For more information about common scams, how to protect yourself or to report fraud, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
Additional information is available from the Federal Trade Commission and Better Business Bureau.
If you or someone you know was a victim of fraud committed online, file a complain with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
