The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is warning Rogue Valley residents that scammers have kicked into high gear again recently.
In the latest scam, they are leaving messages claiming that "Sheriff Aaron Grissom" has civil documents for them to pick up and that they need to call back to schedule an appointment. It's likely a ruse to get them on the phone to ask for money.
Sheriff's officials remind residents not to send money to someone representing themselves as law enforcement on the phone. Law enforcement entities will never call you to collect money and they will never ask for payment in the form of gift cards or bitcoin. When in doubt, hang up and call your local law enforcement agency's official phone number. The Sheriff's Office number is (541)-774-6800.
There is also a text message scam going around regarding unpaid tolls. The scammers send a text claiming an outstanding balance due to an unpaid toll. The recipient of the message is supposed to click on a link in the text to arrange for payment to settle their "debt." Once they do, their personal information becomes compromised. If you click on the link, close the webpage immediately.
If you think the text or website could be legitimate, contact the company using a website or phone number you know is real. Don't use the information in the text message. If you gave a scammer your personal information, change your passwords. If you think you've been scammed, visit "IdentityTheft.gov."
