The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office wants you to know about an increase in phone scams involving people impersonating Sheriff’s Office personnel and local court officials in an attempt to get money from victims.
The caller will claim the victim has missed jury duty, has an outstanding citation, or has a warrant for their arrest. The caller then pressures the victim to make an immediate payment.
In many cases, the scammers manipulate caller ID information to make it appear as if the call is coming from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office or other law enforcement agencies.
The Sheriff’s Office wants you to know they will never call you to collect money or demand payment over the phone and will never threaten arrest over the phone for missed jury duty or unpaid citations.
If you receive a call like this, do not provide personal or financial information; do not call the number back or any number provided by the caller; and verify any information directly through official channels.
To report suspicious activity, contact the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office directly:
Main Line: 775-328-3001
Non-Emergency Dispatch: 775-785-WCSO (9276)
