Pulaski County Clerk’s Office warning of increase in scams

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Pulaski County officials are sounding the alarm about a growing number of scams being reported involving people trying to impersonate government staff in an effort to extort money.

Staff in the Pulaski County Circuit and County Clerk’s Office are warning that they are getting reporters of scammers trying to pass themselves off as members of the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office or the U.S. Marshals and threatening jail time if they are not sent immediate payment on fines.

In one recent case, office staff said a person was called and told a warrant had been issued for their arrest. The person said scammers used the county clerk’s phone number to seem legitimate, then the scammers instructed the person to bring $7,500 to the county courthouse.

Other recent cases involved scammers trying to use a bogus jury summons to get people to either pay a fictitious fine or turn over their personal data, all under the threat of arrest.

The clerk’s office is offering a few tips for county residents on how to fight back against these scams:

Anyone who gets a suspiciously strange call from any government entity should hang up. Government employees won't call to demand money or account information.
Never disclose or verify personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller.
Don't wire money or send money using a reloadable card. Never pay someone who calls you, even if the name or number on the caller ID looks legitimate.
If you feel pressured to act immediately, hang up. That's a sign of a scam.

Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of a scam like this is encouraged to call the county clerk’s office at 501-340-7500.

from KARK https://ift.tt/umH8OLj