SOUTH PARIS — The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office warned residents Monday about a phone scam in which callers falsely claim to represent the department and demand payments for alleged warrants or legal actions.
Sheriff Christopher Wainwright said in a statement that the county’s regional communications center received numerous reports of the scam calls throughout Monday afternoon and early evening.
The callers tell residents they have outstanding warrants or are facing legal action, then instruct them to make payments or money transfers to resolve the issues, according to Wainwright.
“This is a SCAM and no one from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office will contact residents via phone and attempt to solicit funds for warrants, bail or other legal actions,” Wainwright said.
He advised residents who receive such calls to avoid sharing any financial information.
Those concerned about the legitimacy of a call should hang up and contact the dispatch center directly to verify the deputy’s name and reason for calling.
Wainwright urged anyone who has made payments or transfers in response to these calls to report the incident to local authorities.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that scammers often exploit people’s trusting nature and reminded residents to be cautious of unsolicited phone calls demanding money.
