More threatening ‘DCSO’ scammer calls reported

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reported Tuesday it is still receiving complaints regarding citizens being contacted by subjects stating they work for the sheriff’s office, requesting money via a pre-paid card to clear warrants.

The sheriff’s office is actively investigating the scam. If you receive any calls regarding this matter, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 541-693-6911 .

Deputies reported earlier this month they had received information that someone has started or re-started a telephone scam in Central Oregon — and the latest twist takes it in a new direction, claiming the call recipient failed to show up as a trial witness.

A caller will identify themselves as being from the sheriff’s office by name and/or rank and name, said sheriff’s Sgt. Dan Bilyeu.

In the initial scam, they will say that you have missed a court date or should have gotten a subpoena to appear and failed to appear. This person will say that there is a warrant or some kind of fine related to the missed court date.

The caller will then ask that you meet them to make the payment or may want you to take care of the fine, asking for a debit or credit card number. They may ask you to go to a Western Union or similar financial wire service to satisfy a fine. They may also tell you that if you don’t take care of this fine or warrant that a deputy will be sent to your home.

Bilyeu said there were earlier calls reported March 22. In the more recent incidents, the caller told the would-be victim they had been summoned or subpoenaed as a character or material witness for the state and they had failed to appear as required by law.

The caller then instructed the victim to purchase and use a “Fred Meyer Recharge Card” to complete the transaction and avoid being arrested. This was all done via telephone.

Bilyeu repeated the earlier message, in all caps: “NO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN CENTRAL OREGON WILL CALL ANY CITIZEN AND ASK FOR ANY CREDIT CARD, DEBIT CARD, OR CHECKING ACCOUNT INFORMATION. DO NOT AGREE TO MEET THIS PERSON TO MAKE A PAYMENT. DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION OR WIRE ANY MONEY TO A PERSON UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.”

If someone calls asking any kind of information like this, ask for a return phone number, Bilyeu said. If they give you a phone number, call your local police agency with the return phone number and they can check into it for you, Bilyeu said.