SHAWANO AND WAUPACA COUNTIES, WI – The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be cautious after receiving reports of scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and demanding money over the phone.
Officials say the callers are spoofing the Sheriff’s Office phone number, making it appear on caller ID as though the call is coming from a legitimate law enforcement agency. The scammers have also been using fake deputy names, including “Deputy Smith,” in an effort to make the calls appear more convincing.
The Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office says it will never call residents and demand immediate payment over the phone or ask them to provide personal financial information.
Shawano Police Chief Mike Musolff says scammers have several ways of obtaining personal phone numbers, including information that may already be publicly available.
“They’re searching public records, people are searching, they’re finding your phone numbers, and that’s how they’re getting them,” Musolff said. “It’s unfortunate, but you could have it on your tax roll, you could have it in different spots.”
Musolff’s comments highlight why receiving a call on a personal phone number does not necessarily mean the caller is legitimate. Scammers can combine information found through public records or other sources with caller ID spoofing to make their attempts appear more credible.
Law enforcement officials are reminding residents not to provide credit card numbers, banking information or other personal information to an unexpected caller. Residents should also never send money or purchase gift cards in response to a phone demand.
Anyone receiving a suspicious call claiming to be from law enforcement should end the call and independently contact the agency through a known, legitimate phone number rather than relying on the number displayed on caller ID.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by the scam is encouraged to report the incident to local law enforcement.
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