Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office alerts residents to scam callers impersonating deputies, demanding payment

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is alerting the community about an active phone scam where callers are impersonating deputies and demanding payment for bogus fines.

These fraudulent calls have been reported over the past several days.

The scammers are using phone number spoofing technology to make calls appear legitimate to residents. They falsely claim that recipients have missed a court date or face criminal charges, demanding payment to freeze or delay legal action.

While no financial losses have been reported, this type of scam is designed to pressure individuals into making quick payments.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office stated that these scammers even use the names of real Sheriff's Office employees. However, they often make errors, such as incorrectly referring to Sheriff Ty Rupert as "Lieutenant Rupert."

The Sheriff's Office emphasizes that no deputy will ever call to ask for payment, request financial information, or threaten arrest if payment is not made.

Community members who receive suspicious calls are encouraged to verify the legitimacy of any law enforcement contact by calling non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911. Residents should also report scam attempts to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. Sharing this information with friends, family and vulnerable community members is also advised.

The Sheriff's Office continues to monitor this active phone scam. Residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow the provided guidance to protect themselves from potential harm.