By MATT PIKE
It may be a new year, but the scammers are still out there to steal your money.
The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to advise the public to stay alert for scams, even putting flyers onto social media to keep people alert.
Sheriff Bill Puett says one of the most common scams happening currently has to do with officials
“Or somebody wants to call and say well you’ve missed a court date or you’ve missed jury duty, or you did this, you did that, because it’s really easy to get somebody’s name in the Sheriff’s office or whatever,” Puett says on the KFEQmunnity show. “And then use that name and official.”
Puett says it’s important to never give out your personal information
“Unless you initiate and you know you’re calling your credit card company or you know you’re calling the Sheriff’s office, Police Department, Highway patrol, no one is going to call and want a debit card over the phone,” Puett explains. “And they absolutely are not, not, going to ask you to get gift cards.”
Puett also reminds residents when it comes to the Sheriff’s Department, they will never contact you, so never give out personal information unless you’re sure you made the call.
Puett says many people fall for these scams, because scammers utilize those triggers
“That threat of the official and arrest or losing your freedom or however you want to say it, and these are people that go out here to Walmart or Walgreens and get a handful of gift cards, and once those are called and those numbers, that stuff is gone,” Puett says.
Puett says to call and verify if what the scammer is saying is true, saying his department would rather you make sure something is true rather than lose your money because many scammers are from other countries and are hard to track.
If you suspect you have been scammed, you should contact the Sheriff’s Department.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.
