Scammers target local residents

Local residents — along with people throughout the state and nation — should beware of scams in which people receive phone calls and are threatened with arrest or seizure of property by callers falsely claiming to represent law enforcement and saying that the targeted individuals have unpaid fines or fees.

"One person was told they need to meet (a deputy) and bring $1,200 in cash, and the caller identified himself as Sgt. Franklin Smith with the Coryell County Sheriff's Office," said Coryell County Sheriff Scott Williams. "There is no such animal. We do not have anyone by that name working for us."

There are reports of scammers contacting people in the Waco area and actually using the names of law enforcement officers, but agencies in Waco have said they are not responsible for those calls, and that the caller was falsely identifying himself.

"If the sheriff's office has a warrant for your arrest, we are not going to contact you by phone," Williams said.

In one instance, a local resident was told by a man claiming to be law enforcement that to avoid arrest for an unpaid fine, he needed to get a money order from Western Union and meet the caller at the sheriff's office. Then the caller later said the person did not need to go to the sheriff's office but could meet them in a local parking lot.

"If we're catching four or five scam attempts before it happens, there's no telling how many people are getting burned. I hate to see folks get beat up and taken advantage of by this. It's a pretty significant chunk of money."

Williams said some of the calls are being routed through Jamaica, but the scammers are able to spoof and change numbers frequently in order to avoid law enforcement shutting them down.

District Clerk Becky Moore said she has also received multiple calls from people who have been targeted by the scams.

"It started (in late April)," Moore said. "Somebody called and indicated that they had been contacted (about money owed to the county). I told them to call the sheriff's office, but an older man wanted to talk to me to confirm he didn't owe anything. He was really scared. The guy on the phone asked him if he owned a gun and felt like the caller may have been stalking him. I assured him that he didn't have a fine."

Moore said none of the people she talked to about the scam attempt had paid money to the caller, who used several different numbers. In some instances, the caller identified himself as Brandon Steele or Franklin Smith.

"One call was to the wife's number, but the caller said he wanted to talk to the man," Moore said. "The caller told the man to bring him $1,012 and not to bring his wife when he went to the bank. He said if the man didn't meet him, he'd take his car. Others who were called were told they would be arrested.

"I talked to a detective in Killeen who was called (by a scammer), but (the scammer) didn't get very far."

Anyone who receives a call from someone claiming to be with law enforcement or a local official should contact the number of the law enforcement agency or county office to confirm. Both Sheriff Williams and Moore said their office did not make the types of calls that the scammer is making.

"My concern is if the caller contacts 100 people this week and 10 fall for it, that's a lot of money lost," Moore said. "I don't want people to fall for it. I don't want people to think they have to pay money over the phone or because of a call on the phone. They are not going to get a call like that from us. These (scammers) especially like to take advantage of the elderly.

"Anyone with a concern about this is welcome to call me anytime. The people should get as much information as they can and report this. Don't be embarrassed. There are scams and people can get scared sometimes."

Moore can be reached at (254) 865-5911, ext. 100. The sheriff's office can be reached at (254) 865-7201.

"It bothers me because they get people on the phone and scare them," Moore said. "This is a terrible way to try to take advantage of people."