A phone scam has begun to strike Gila County in which the caller claims to be a Gila County Sheriff’s Deputy. The caller tells the would-be victim a family member has a warrant stemming from a traffic violation will be arrested if a “green dot money pack card” isn’t sent.
Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd would like everyone to know the courts are the ones in charge of collecting fines, not the Sheriff’s Office. Also, his office will seek and arrest the person with the warrant & not try to get a payment from a family member in regards to the warrant.
He has some tips to follow if you are contacted:
1. Try and get the caller’s name, call back number, & the agency where they are employed.
2. Find out the location of the “family member,” whether in jail or at a hospital along with the name of either location.
3. Let them know you will call back, then get ahold of the family member & confirm their whereabouts.
4. Report the incident to Dispatch at the Sheriff’s Office by calling 928-425 4449, option 1.
The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the reports that have come in.
