RISON, Ark. – The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department issued a warning to residents on Monday, September 2, about a scam targeting individuals in the area. The department reported that scammers have been calling residents, falsely claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Department.
According to the announcement, the scam involves a caller who claims that the recipient has missed jury duty in Cleveland County and that there are warrants out for their arrest. The scammer then demands money to prevent the victim from being arrested. The calls appear to originate from the Sheriff’s Department’s official phone number, 870-325-6222, a tactic made possible by the use of spoofing apps.
The Sheriff’s Department emphasized that they will never call anyone demanding money to avoid arrest. While missing jury duty may result in being contacted by the court, there would never be a demand for money over the phone.
Residents are urged to be vigilant and not to fall for this scam. Anyone who receives such a call is advised to hang up immediately and report the incident to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Department.
