Stay Alert, Laramie! Phone Scammer Posing as Sheriff's Detective

The Albany County Sheriff's Office is warning the community of a phone scam circulating in the area, in which someone is posing as an ACSO detective to coerce victims into giving them money.

The agency in a Facebook post on Saturday morning said it had received several reports from community members stating that a "Detective Curtis" had called them requesting payment for their outstanding warrants.

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"Even though the Albany County Sheriff’s Office does employ a Detective Curtis, we promise that he is not making these phone calls," the post reads.

The ACSO says the scammer oftentimes refers to the community member by name, tells them the call is being recorded, tells them they missed a court appearance or jury duty, and says they need to send money or a warrant will be issued for their arrest or they may turn themselves into jail.

The ACSO says the scammer may also "spoof" their caller ID information to make it look like they are calling from a legitimate law enforcement agency.

"The Albany County Sheriff’s Office does not call individuals and demand or request money from community members under any circumstances," the post reads.

Tips to Avoid Being Scammed

The ACSO offers these tips to help avoid becoming a victim of this scam:

Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.
Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter, and similar sites.
Remember that anyone who has the number on a prepaid card has access to the funds on your card,
Never wire money, or provide debit or credit card numbers to a stranger.

If you're an Albany County resident who has fallen victim to this scam, you're encouraged to file a report by calling the Albany County Sheriff’s Office's non-emergency line at 307-721-2526.

8 Things To Do If You Paid A Phone Scammer

Merciless phone scammers are targeting unaware folks with schemes involving pleas for charity, car warranties, unpaid traffic tickets, you name it. The Federal Trade Commission says, "Scammers often ask you to pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back. No matter what payment method you used to pay, the sooner you act, the better."

If you have paid one of these scammers and then realize you have been scammed, here are 8 tips from the Federal Trade Commission, on what to do if you have paid a scammer.

Gallery Credit: Brad Carpenter/Federal Trade Commission/Canva