Phony Deputy Scam Reported

Con artists posing as members of the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office have been placing calls to Green River residents, demanding money in an ongoing swindle.

Green River Chief of Police Chris Steffen alerted the Sheriff’s Office when his office began receiving reports about the calls.

"The callers fraudulently identify themselves by name as Sweetwater County deputies or command officers," Detective Dick Blust of the Sheriff’s Office explained. "The names they use are real, but the call is a scam. The caller will claim that a jury summons or subpoena has been ignored and the person must pay or be arrested."

Using a real deputy’s name make the calls more believable and the criminals making the calls hope it will help intimidate their intended victims.

"No one from the Sheriff’s Office or any other law enforcement agency will ever call people and demand money," Blust said. "If you get a call like this, make a note of the caller’s number, hang up, and report the call."

Law enforcement officials recommend the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s website as an excellent source of information to help people protect themselves against fraud and scams of all kinds.