The Petersburg Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents to a troubling phone scam in which callers impersonate sheriff’s deputies in an attempt to extort money from locals.
According to Sheriff Vanessa Crawford, the scammers are targeting people in Petersburg and surrounding areas, falsely claiming the person has missed a court date or legal appointment. The caller then demands payment —sometimes a significant sum —and threatens arrest if the victim fails to comply.
“This is a scam,” Crawford emphasized in a Tuesday news alert from the city. “The Petersburg Sheriff’s Office will never call and ask for money under any circumstances.”
So far, four residents of mixed ages have reported paying the scammers anywhere from $2,000 to $2,500, Crawford told The Progress-Index. They all contacted the sheriff’s office after paying the sum.
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The Sheriff’s Office has also received several additional calls from residents who did not pay the money reporting the scam, she said. She added that the scammers were using the real names of local sheriff’s deputies.
The Petersburg Police Department is looking into the scam, Crawford added.
Some victims have reported that the callers use aggressive and intimidating language, even warning that ending the call could lead to immediate arrest. Authorities are urging residents not to be intimidated.
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Petersburg City Manager March Altman warned residents about the scam during the city council meeting April 15.
“If anyone receives that message, do not panic, the sheriff’s office never calls to request money for any reason,” he said. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a couple people here recently that have panicked. One individual in particular — if it had not been for running into one of our city employees — was rushing off to get $13,000 to pay this off.”
If you receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a Petersburg sheriff’s deputy:
Do not share any personal information.
Report the call immediately to the Petersburg Sheriff’s Office at (804) 733-2369.
Officials also encourage the community to share this warning with friends and family, especially those who may be more vulnerable to such schemes.
“Stay alert, Petersburg,” Crawford said. “Help us stop this scam by spreading the word.”
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This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg residents the target of phone scam, Sheriff’s Office says