Champaign, IL – The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office is raising the alarm about a surge in telephone scams targeting local residents. These scams have become more intricate, with scammers employing tactics that are increasingly convincing. The Sheriff’s Office urges the public to remain vigilant, especially when asked to provide personal or financial information over the phone.
According to Sheriff Heuerman, the latest scam involves callers telling residents they have an outstanding arrest warrant and must pay to avoid arrest. These scammers have been known to use actual names of Sheriff’s Office employees and “spoof” the office’s phone number to appear more legitimate. Victims are also advised against contacting law enforcement directly, under threat of arrest. Sheriff Heuerman emphasizes that the Sheriff’s Office does not solicit payments over the phone for outstanding warrants.
Residents are advised to exercise caution and verify any such requests by directly contacting the organization through official channels. The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office has provided their official number (217-384-1204) for residents to verify the legitimacy of any suspicious calls received.
