Scams are on the rise in New Jersey, with fraudsters using the names of real police officers to deceive their victims. The Sheriff's Association of New Jersey has reported an increase in fraud cases over the past year, with scammers often posing as sheriff's officers. They have even spoofed the phone number of the local Sheriff's Office to make their victims believe that the call is coming from the office.
According to the Bergen County Sheriff, Anthony Cureton, dozens of families in Bergen County have reported this scam. The fraudsters typically claim that there is a warrant out for the victim's arrest due to missed jury duty, and demand an online or cryptocurrency payment to avoid jail time. Cureton told NorthJersey.com, "We've had incidents where the sheriff's officer number has shown up on people's calls."
The scammers are not targeting a specific demographic, but rather anyone who answers the phone. In a recent two-hour period, six residents of Bergen County reported the scam. Sheriff Cureton warns everyone to be cautious, advising, "If anyone asks for any money, personal information -- do not give it. If a number comes up on your phone and you don't recognize it, let it go to voicemail. If you can, write the number down so that use it as part of our follow up investigation."