The Multnomah County Auditor’s Office has issued a warning about a scam targeting community members. The office received a report through the Good Government Hotline about an individual impersonating a Multnomah County Sheriff’s officer and demanding $3,000 from an ATM under threat of arrest.
Fortunately, the targeted individual recognized the scam and reported it. The Sheriff’s Office, aware of this and similar schemes, is working to inform the public to prevent further victimization.
Scammers have been using various tactics to deceive their targets:
• Using the names of actual Sheriff’s employees.
• Falsifying caller ID to make it appear as if the Sheriff’s Office is calling.
• Providing fake badge numbers or case numbers.
• Claiming the person has a warrant, unpaid court fines, or has missed jury duty and must pay a fine using gift cards, cash apps, or cryptocurrency to avoid arrest.
• Demanding the person stay on the phone until the transaction is complete.
• Instructing the person not to contact family or friends for advice.
• Providing a callback number with a falsified phone tree.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office requesting any form of payment, do not send money or engage with the caller. Simply hang up. These individuals do not represent the Sheriff’s Office.
If you have fallen victim to this scam, please file a police report by calling 503-823-3333 and selecting the non-emergency police reporting option for your jurisdiction. For more information, visit the Sheriff’s Office website at https://www.mcso.us/news-information/sheriffs-office-warns-phone-scam-impersonating-deputies-sergeants.
