HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — While scam calls continue to rise, law enforcement is warning the public of a new method scammers are using to trick victims.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said these scammers will claim they're Hillsborough deputies and tell victims they have an outstanding warrant. Scammers then demand money from victims so they can "avoid arrest."
HCSO said scammers will typically instruct victims to withdraw cash or send payments through Bitcoin or gift cards.
"The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office will never solicit payments over the phone, especially through unconventional methods like cash delivery or cryptocurrency," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from the Sheriff's Office and demanding money, hang up immediately and report the incident to us."
The sheriff's office provided the following tips when it comes to dealing with scammers.
- The Sheriff's Office will never request money or personal information over the phone.
- Warrants are not resolved through cash payments.
- Legitimate law enforcement agencies do not accept Bitcoin or gift cards for payments.
- If you suspect you are being targeted by a scam, HCSO encourages you to:
- Hang up the phone immediately.
- Do not provide any personal information.
If you need to report a scam call, contact HCSO at 813-247-8200.
Brides, families fighting for refunds after event venue closes suddenly
“We’ve struggled so hard to scrape the money to be able to do this for her,” Irizarry said. “She’s my only girl and I wanted this so much for her.”
Couples and families who had weddings and events planned at a well-known venue that abruptly closed claim they’re out thousands of dollars and aren’t being given refunds. Annette Irizarry was supposed to hold her 15-year-old daughter’s quinceañera in August at the Clearwater location and said she’s now out the $6,160 she paid. Without that money, Irizarry said she can’t afford to have her daughter’s celebration somewhere else.
