Sheriff's Office warns of scam

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is warning the citizens of Deschutes County of a recurring warrant scam hitting the area.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has taken reports recently that community members have been contacted by subject(s) requesting money for not responding to a subpoena. The caller(s) demanded the money be sent in the form of bitcoin. The caller(s) also use numerous intimidation techniques to facilitate the payments, namely keeping the unsuspecting victim on the telephone while the payments are being made.

With the improvements in technology, law enforcement has recognized the subjects involved in these scams are able to utilize local phone numbers, specifically the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office main line, making the scam appear legitimate.

Law enforcement will never contact a citizen and ask for money to clear up a warrant or any legal matter.

Citizens should be skeptical of any situation where an unfamiliar person is asking for money over the telephone.

The best way to prevent someone from falling victim to this scam is through education.

If you have fallen prey to this or similar scams and have lost money as a result, contact Deschutes County 911 Dispatch non-emergency, 541-693-6911.