A scam that has been reported in Marion County and Crawford County has now reached Richland County.
Residents of Richland County have made police reports whereby they have been victims of a telephone scam whereby the caller falsely claims to be from the Sheriff’s Office. Similar scams have been reported in the past and released to the media to warn citizens.
Victims explain that they receive a call from someone claiming to be with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and that they failed to show up for Grand Jury or Jury Duty. THIS IS A SCAM. The calls also have been made to several doctor offices in the Mansfield/Richland County area posing as a Lieutenant Troy Stevens, Court Investigator, from the Richland County Sheriff’s Office. Victims have also received emails as part of the scam.
The caller instructs the victim to purchase a Green Dot Money Card, similar to gift cards, that allows the victim to put money on the card through the cashier. The victim is then told to go to the Sheriff’s Office by the scammer in order to pay the fine. Then the scammer calls the victim shortly afterwards saying the deputy cannot meet the victim at the Sheriff’s Office and to just give them the numbers off the back of the card. The scammer can then access the money on the card(s). This is not traceable to investigators.
Sheriff Sheldon warns residents that we do not contact jurors who do not show for jury duty nor do we collect monies over the telephone. All fines are paid directly to the Clerk of Courts. Any money transactions involving the Sheriff’s Office are handled at the office in the Records Division.
Richland County residents can always call the Sheriff’s Office to verify or report a suspicious call at 419-524-2412.