FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Attorney General Beshear, Northern Kentucky Sheriffs Partner to Alert Kentuckians of Scams
The number of con artists claiming to be sheriff’s deputies on the rise
Contact: Terry Sebastian 502-696-5651 or 502-229-3004
Crystal Staley 502-696-5659 or 502-545-3714
BURLINGTON, KY. (March 21, 2016) – Kentuckians are being pursued over the phone by con artists claiming to be sheriff’s deputies who can help residents resolve an arrest warrant issued against them in exchange for money.
Attorney General Andy Beshear and a group of northern Kentucky sheriffs joined forces today to raise awareness on the issue.
“Law enforcement does not call demanding payment over the phone in order to resolve a state or federal warrant,” Beshear said. “If you receive this type of call, hang up and contact the local sheriff. The number of scams continues to rise and by partnering with our local law enforcement agencies, we are warning consumers not to fall for these scams.”
“The Boone County Sheriff’s office has never and will never conduct business this way,” said Boone County Sheriff Michael A. Helmig.
“The Campbell County Sheriff’s office has received complaints from citizens receiving telephone calls from scam artists claiming to be an employee with the sheriff’s office,” said Campbell County Sheriff Mike Jansen. “The sheriff’s office will not contact citizens in this manner; this is not how we conduct business. We stand with fellow sheriffs and prosecutors in order to prevent the citizens of Campbell County from becoming victims of such scams.”
“I take the use of my office to victimize the citizens of Kenton County as a personal affront,” said Kenton County Sheriff Charles Korzenborn. “I will use all of my resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Beshear’s Office of Consumer Protection and criminal investigators work closely with local sheriffs when consumers are scammed out of giving money to con artists.
“As law enforcement agencies, our goal is to raise awareness and help protect Kentuckians from these con artists who are trying to rob taxpayers out of their money,” Beshear said. “And joining with local prosecutors, we will use every method to stop these scammers.”
Beshear and sheriffs are asking consumers not to engage these callers and to contact the Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection at 888-432-9257 or their local sheriff’s office.
One of the critical missions of the AG’s Office is to help Kentucky families and seniors recognize and avoid scams.
Beshear joined Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller recently to urge Congress to reverse a new law allowing debt collection robocalls to the cellphones of college students struggling with student debt.
Beshear has recently warned consumers of a scam involving phone calls to Kentuckians claiming they had won the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, a scam targeting victims of financial fraud, an IRS scam and the federal warrant scam.