DOVER, NH — The Strafford County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing phone scam in which callers impersonate sheriff’s office employees.
Scammers have been using the names of active sheriff’s office employees and “spoofing” phone numbers to make calls appear legitimate, according to a sheriff’s office alert.
During the calls, scammers claim the person has warrants for their arrest and demand payment via gift cards, credit cards or cryptocurrency.
The scammers have also begun providing AI-generated documents that appear official to those unfamiliar with legal paperwork.
A deputy sheriff will never contact someone demanding immediate payment in cash, gift cards or cryptocurrency for a court-related matter or to resolve a warrant, the sheriff’s office said.
Anyone who has received one of these scam calls or has given money to someone for this purpose is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 603-742-4960 and ask to speak with an investigator.
Those who doubt the legitimacy of someone calling and representing the agency can call the dispatch center at 603-742-4968 to verify if the interaction and deputy are legitimate.
The sheriff’s office advises never sending cryptocurrency or bank wires to anyone you don’t know.
