Beltrami County Warns Public of Scam Callers Impersonating Deputies

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office says that scammers have resumed targeting area residents with impersonation calls.

A press release from Chief Deputy Jarrett Walton says these scam callers are representing themselves, by name, as members of the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, and are using legitimate, recognizable names of county deputies. They are telling people they have a warrant and will be arrested if they do not make a payment.

These scammers have also used a tactic known as spoofing, where caller ID is manipulated to display the Law Enforcement Center’s phone number. In reality, however, the Law Enforcement Center’s phone number does not display on caller ID, as it’s part of the county’s multi-line phone system.

The county says that if you receive a call of this nature, you should terminate the call immediately and not provide any personal information. They longer you stay on the phone, the more opportunity the scammers have to collect information on you.

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office does not attempt to collect bail money over the phone and does not accept any gift cards as a form of payment.