EL PASO COUNTY — The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says it has received a report of a new phone scam, this one using the names of an actual employee of the Sheriff's Office and a judge.
The caller told the victim of a missed court date, and said a fine of more than $4,000 needed to be paid.
The Sheriff's Office said it wants to remind local residents that the office never calls or sends texts to tell people about active warrants or missed court dates. They also said people should not give money or personal information over the phone, because they do not call to tell people they owe money for any reason and do not ask people to make payments for fines. The Sheriff's Office also does not collect money for any government agency.
The scammers can appear to be calling from a legitimate Sheriff's Office phone number using a "spoof card" application, which lets people use any legitimate phone number to place a call with the intent of victimizing others.
Anyone who believes they might have been a victim of this scam, or anyone with more information, is encourated to call the El Paso County Sheriff's Office at 719-390-5555, or contact local law enforcement in your area.
