HAR has heard from a number of agents in Montgomery County that are being targeted by scammers pretending to be with law enforcement, specifically the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. We warned HAR members of a similar case last June in which the scammer claimed to be with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The scammers claim that there is a warrant out for your arrest – usually for ignoring a grand jury summons. They may threaten to have a squad car pick you up. They might ask you to wire money to cover court fees or make a deposit at a local kiosk. They can be very forceful and, in most cases, know just enough about their targets to sound legitimate. Most agents who received these threatening calls say they can hear the sound of police scanners in the background, designed to make the calls seem more authentic. One agent that fell for the scam last year lost $2,500, but says she easily could have lost more.
DO NOT engage with these scammers! If you can capture their phone numbers and other evidence – voice messages or screen-captured harassing text messages – HAR urges you to immediately report any of this activity to the actual police by calling 911.
