(WXYZ) — Criminals are once again posing as deputies and other law enforcement agents, claiming you've missed jury duty, need to bond out a loved one from jail, or have unpaid tickets.
Watch Alicia's report below
However, in the last week, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard has issued a new warning, because there's a twist in their tactics.
Candise Watts was one of the targets of a deputy impersonation scam. She received a voicemail that said, "This is Sergeant Parker with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office trying to establish contact with the one Candise Watts.”
That voicemail started the mother and retired teacher from Waterford Township. She received the message on March 6, indicating she needed to call a number to deal with an "ongoing legal matter," so she did.
"He proceeded to explain to me that I failed to show up for jury duty," Watts said.
She never recalled receiving a summons, but then he texted her several official-looking documents, including a detailed arrest warrant.
The scammer also sent her a statement from the attorney general about surety bonds, and a QR code she needed to use to send her bond money to avoid 48 hours in jail.
"I was very scared," Watts said. "So, I went into my credit union, and I withdrew the $4,500. Then I got back into the car, and he gave me to another person. He gave it to me, Lieutenant Burton. And that gentleman proceeded to tell me where to go to get the voucher.”
He sent her to a gas station to deposit the cash in what he called a "bond machine," but she didn't find one there. So he told her to try a liquor store down the street. That's when she realized he was directing her to Bitcoin machines.
She rushed to the nearest patrol services building and a real deputy told her it was a scam.
"What would you say is the most common imposter scam that you're seeing in Oakland County?” I asked Bouchard.
“Either jury duty or you've got a warrant for some kind of ticket.”
Bouchard recently issued a warning about how the deputy imposter scam is evolving, but it always ends with these criminals wanting a large sum of money.
"How concerned are you by the longevity of this particular scam?" I asked.
“Well, you know, it's really frustrating because we've seen people lose a lot of money and lose sleep. So, that's why we're constantly thanking media outlets like yourself that are bringing this to the public's attention because people are still getting calls, still getting texts, still getting emails, and they're falling for it," he said.
Remember, no deputy or legitimate law enforcement agency will ever call and demand money on the spot.
”It's embarrassing, but sad, and sad that this happens all the time," Watts said.
If you get a call like this, hang up immediately, then report it to your local law enforcement agency or the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/scams.
Another new tactic? Scammers telling people to keep them on the line, but leave the phone in the car while targeted victims go into the credit union, because they supposedly don't want to overhear bank information. However, they really don't want tellers to interfere, and they don't want people to hang up until sending them the money.
