The Rockland County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning to the public following a report received on January 16, 2024, of a sophisticated telephone scam. An unknown male, posing as a deputy sheriff or lieutenant from the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, targeted a local resident. The caller falsely claimed there was an arrest warrant for the victim due to failure to appear in court and contempt charges.
In a concerning twist, the victim received a call displaying the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office phone number (845-638-5400), which turned out to be a spoofed number. The scammer then demanded a transfer of Bitcoin as a resolution to the alleged warrant.
Officials stress that this type of scam, aiming to extort money or personal information, is increasingly common. The Sheriff’s Office clarified that they do not notify individuals of arrest warrants by phone, nor do they solicit money or virtual currency to settle legal matters.
Victims of such scams are urged to report the fraudulent activity to their bank and visit websites like reportfraud.ftc.gov, IdentityTheft.gov, and the National Do Not Call Registry for further action.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious calls to their office at 845-638-5401, emphasizing the importance of awareness to prevent personal information breaches and financial losses.