Neighbors,
See below for a note from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office regarding a new phone scam targeting citizens.
***Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detectives are encouraging the public to be on alert to a recent phone scam occurring in Pinellas County. The suspect is calling residents in Pinellas County and identifying himself as Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Sean Jowell.
According to detectives, the suspect identifies himself and informs the citizen that they have an outstanding warrant for missing jury duty. The suspect tells the citizen that if they don’t turn themselves in at the Sheriff’s Office, or pay the fines, they will be arrested at their residence.
The suspect instructs the citizen to go to the nearest convenience store to purchase pre-paid debit or gift cards. The suspect instructs the citizen to provide the numbers on the back of the card and claims that the warrant will be purged from the system once the money is paid.
They also tell the citizen if they do not remain on the phone continuously while the citizen obtains the cash and purchases the gift cards they will be marked as “non-compliant” and arrested shortly after terminating the phone call. The scammer has been reported to leave a voicemail on the citizen’s phone stating if they did not return the phone call immediately, they would be marked as “non-compliant” and arrested shortly thereafter.
Detectives say the suspect is also “spoofing” his phone number causing the caller ID to show that the suspect is calling from the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone line (727) 582-6200. There have been multiple incidents where Pinellas County citizens have been targeted using this scam.
Please note: The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office will never call citizens requesting money over the telephone. Detectives advise citizens to not give personal information or account information over the phone, and call the Sheriff’s Office to report suspicious activity.
If anyone has information on this scam or has become a victim they are asked to call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at (727) 582-6200.***
Message from State Representative Kathleen Peters & Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.