The Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) is warning residents about a phone scam in which individuals impersonate law enforcement officers and threaten victims with arrest to obtain money.
According to an LCSO release sent on Monday, in a recent incident, a victim received a call from someone whose caller ID displayed the phone number 352-486-5111. The caller identified himself as “Jason Taylor” with the Financial Crimes Unit and claimed the victim had failed to appear for a federal jury summons. He also alleged that three arrest warrants had been issued and instructed the victim to turn herself in at the Levy County Jail.
While the victim was traveling to the Sheriff’s Office, the caller contacted her again and told her to pull over. He then claimed she could avoid arrest by paying $2,700 in bond through a kiosk at a Gainesville convenience store.
After the victim made the payment, additional callers identifying themselves as “Captain Bradshaw” and “Deputy Jared Oliver” instructed her to pay another $1,500 as a supposed first-time offender fine.
Believing the callers were legitimate law enforcement officers, the victim followed their instructions and lost a total of $4,200. She was also instructed to provide a copy of her photo identification.
LCSO warns that scammers may use official-sounding titles, spoofed caller ID information, threats of arrest and demands for immediate payment to deceive victims.
How to Protect Yourself
LCSO offers the following tips to help residents avoid becoming victims of these scams:
- Never pay to avoid arrest. Law enforcement will not demand payment through a convenience store kiosk to make an arrest warrant disappear or call and demand payment of any kind.
- Do not send money under pressure. Never send money, deposit funds or provide payment codes or PINs to someone who unexpectedly contacts you and threatens arrest.
- Be cautious of caller ID. Phone numbers can be spoofed, so a call displaying a legitimate agency’s number does not guarantee the caller is an actual law enforcement officer.
- Protect your personal information. Never provide copies of identification or other personal information to unverified callers.
- Verify suspicious calls independently. Hang up and contact the agency directly using a publicly listed telephone number to confirm the information.
- Report scams. If you lose money in a scam, report the incident to your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.
Scammers rely on fear, urgency and intimidation to pressure victims into making quick decisions. Residents are encouraged to take time to verify information before taking action.
LCSO encourages residents to share the warning with family members, friends and neighbors to help prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
In September, the Gainesville Police Department reported a similar scam.