Sheriff’s Office advises residents to be cautious
The Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) added two new scam operations to their naughty list the week before Christmas.
The first was a man claiming to be a sergeant with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
This man contacted a Gilmer resident, claiming that a family member had been arrested, and referencing an Internal Affairs investigation.
Then, he demanded $3,000 in attorney fees.
The Gilmer resident contacted was able to recognize the call was a scam when the caller demanded money. As a result, she ended the call.
It’s not the first law enforcement impersonation scam that has targeted Gilmer County residents this year.
If someone contacts you claiming to be from law enforcement and asking for money, you should call their local office, or contact the GSCO at its non-emergency line, 706-635-8911.
The other scam recently targeting Gilmer residents involves cryptocurrency.
Often, these scammers will find victims on TikTok or other social media. It will direct these people to payment apps like Cash App.
The scam consists of telling victims that their cryptocurrency is “blocked,” and they need to pay a “gas fee” or “blockchain fee” to release it. The fees start around $150.
If someone pays the first fee, the scam keeps escalating and demanding further fees, promising that funds will release after the next payment.
If victims question the scam, fraudsters get nasty. They send death threats, disturbing messages, and use stolen images and information to frighten victims.
When scammers made threats, you should break off contact, the GCSO said in its weekly press release.
“There is NO fee to unlock or recover crypto. Law enforcement will NOT demand money. Legitimate agencies do NOT threaten violence. Death threats are a fear tactic — not authority. DO NOT respond, DO NOT send more money,” the GCSO announced.
It’s best to report scams like this to the GCSO, and report the sender to reportfraud.ftc.gov.