The Ontario County Sheriff’s Office would like to inform you of a sophisticated scam targeting county residents. Recently, scammers have been using caller ID spoofing to make it appear as though their calls are coming from the Sheriff’s Office. Here’s how this scam works:

The caller will pretend to be an employee of the sheriff’s office and claim you missed jury duty or failed to appear in court. They will threaten to issue a warrant for your arrest unless you pay an exorbitant fine – often over $4,000. The caller will use convincing legal jargon and list the alleged offense in detail. The sheriff’s office says the scammer will tell you that because of your good relationship with law enforcement, they are offering to “help” you by resolving the issue immediately, sometimes at a reduced rate. They will demand payment and specifically mention using a Dollar General payment method. The scammer will try to get you to believe in their legitimacy by saying their payment solution is because of all the “scams” that occur every day. They will claim they have to stay on the phone while you purchase the cards due to an “open investigation” and will insist there is a “message blackout” and advise you not to discuss the matter with anyone. To add credibility, they may even state that the conversation was recorded.

As a reminder, the Sheriff’s Office or any other court will NEVER demand payment over the phone or use such tactics. If you receive such a call, do not give out any personal information or make any payments. Hang up and contact us directly at 585-394-4560 to address your questions or concerns.

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