Action 9 warns: Watch out for scammers pretending to be with sheriff’s office

MORGANTON, N.C. — A Morganton woman has a warning to others after someone claiming to be with the sheriff’s office tried to scam her.

Casey Morgan said it started with a voicemail. The message said, “This is Sgt. Taylor with the Burke County Sheriff’s Department. I would like to speak with you concerning an urgent legal matter.”

Morgan called the number she was instructed to call. She said the man who answered told her that she had missed jury duty and he had two warrants for her arrest.

“Two misdemeanor warrants – one for failure to appear and one for contempt of court,” Morgan told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke.

She said the scammer gave her two choices: pay $1,800 or spend 14-21 days in jail.

Morgan said that she kept asking the man for more information, but he said that he couldn’t give her any more information until she agreed to one of the options.

Stoogenke contacted Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisenant about the call Morgan received. Whisenant told Stoogeneke that he called the number and told the scammers to cease and desist.

Stoogenke called the scammer’s number, too. He said the recording sounds believable.

The recording said that you’ve reached the Burke County sheriff’s department non-emergency number and to press certain numbers for certain departments. No one picked up for Stoogenke.

Stoogeneke said that if you think law enforcement is trying to reach you, look up the correct number and call the agency directly.

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