Fake Deputy Phone Scam Warning From Hillsborough County Sheriff
Fake deputy phone scam sees an uptick, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has put out an alert.
The alert is regarding a recent increase in phone scams in which some individuals are claiming to be Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office employees.
What we know about this fake deputy phone scam:
The scam has been around for years, but HCSO put out a recent reminder due to an increase in its occurrence. In the scam, the callers are contacting residents over the phone and claiming to be deputies. They’ll falsely state that their victim on the phone has a warrant outstanding. In order to avoid being arrested, the scammer asks for large amounts of cash, or large payments of Bitcoin or gift cards.
Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement:
“The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office will never solicit payments over the phone, especially through unconventional methods like cash delivery or cryptocurrency. If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office and demanding money, hang up immediately and report the incident to us.”
If you receive one of these scam calls, HCSO requests you report the call online or call 813-247-8200.
HCSO has some tips and clues to help to avoid being a victim in one of these phone scams:
HCSO will never request cash or personal information on the phone.
You cannot resolve a warrant with a cash, Bitcoin or gift card payments.
Law enforcement agencies do not accept Bitcoin or gift cards for payments.
If you think you’re receiving a scam call, here’s what the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office recommends:
Hang up the phone immediately and do not provide any personal information. The HCSO asks that you also share this information about the fake deputy phone scam with others to those who are vulnerable to scams.
Here Is The Most Committed Crime In Florida
I moved to St. Petersburg in 2019 and I must say, living in the Sunshine State has been fun! I have never gotten in trouble with the law but many of my friends have. The warm weather seems to have an impact on people and it’s not always good! Every day there is a “Florida Man/Woman” headline in the news. Many of the stories are funny but sadly always involve crimes being committed.
Have You Ever Been Arrested?
According to the Florida Department Of Corrections, there are 143 correctional facilities throughout the state. Have you ever been to any of them? What were you locked up for and for how long? I know, Im asking a lot of questions right? I love hearing prison stories. Feel free to email me [email protected] . If I share your story, I will keep you anonymous.
According to Prison Policy, The United States locks up more people per capita than any other nation. Basically that is 583 people per 100k residents. There are currently over 1M people locked up in state prisons. When it comes to local jails there are currently 550K people locked up. Lastly in federal prisons and jails there are 208K people locked up.
Here Is The Most Committed Crime In Florida
Ok, so before looking below, what do you think is the most committed crime in Florida? I pretty much committed this crime, but I was able to get help before it was to late. No, I was not a dealer but an addicted, and rehab was the best thing that ever happened to me. Have any ideas what it is yet? Many of us have fell victim to this crime or know someone who has.
Below you will find the most committed crime in Florida. I have also included 4 other of the most committed crimes as well. This is according to research done by the Murphy’s And Downs Law Offices.
1. Drug Crimes
According to the FBI, 30% of arrest in Florida are due to drug crimes. Drug offenses consist of anything from trafficking to possession. The amount of drugs you are caught with will affect the charge and the sentence.
2. Theft
There is a theft committed every minute in Florida. This is all according to Florida Department Of Law Enforcement.
3. Assault
Assault is the 3rd most committed crime in Florida. Even a threat of bodily harm made with an apparent ability to cause the harm is considered assault. The threat however must cause a fear of of injury.
4. DUI
DUI is the 4th most committed crime in Florida. You must have a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher for you to be impaired. The penalties are determined by many factors such as how many times you’ve gotten a DUI also death/injuries or property damage caused by the driving.
5. Aggravated Assault
According to the Florida Department Of Law Enforcement an aggravated assault happens every nine minutes in Florida.
