Avoiding Phone Scams: What Craighead County Sheriff's Office Will Never Ask You

The Craighead County Sheriff's Office has warned about scammers who sound convincing, use law-enforcement terminology, and sometimes drop actual deputies' names. Here's the simplest way to spot the fraud: the Sheriff's Office will never call to say you have warrants. It won't call about missed jury duty. And it definitely won't ask you to pay over the phone to "take care of" anything. Another clear red flag? Payment through a cash app like Venmo or a prepaid card like Green Dot. The Sheriff's Office says it will never accept payment that way.

Caller ID can be misleading. Scammers can spoof the Sheriff's Office phone number, so your screen may show the real number even when the call is fraudulent. Focus on what the caller is doing - threats, urgency, demands for money - rather than trusting the name or number on your screen.

1. Hang up right away - Don’t stay on the line arguing or trying to “clear it up” with the caller.
2. Do not send any money - The Craighead County Sheriff’s Office will not ask for payments over the phone to resolve a warrant.
3. Refuse cash apps and prepaid cards - The Sheriff’s Office will never accept payment through cash apps (including Venmo) or prepaid cards like Green Dot.
4. Don’t trust caller ID - Scammers can clone the Sheriff’s Office phone number, so the call may look real even when it isn’t.

Want to check if something is legitimate? Call the Craighead County Sheriff's Office non-emergency number directly: 870-935-5553 (available 24 hours). Don't call back a number the caller gives you, and don't rely on redial. Look up the official number and dial it yourself.

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• ✓ Call the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 870-935-5553 (24 hours) to verify whether a claim is real.
• ✓ Submit a tip by calling 870-935-STOP or by using the website’s email tip form.
• ✓ If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
• ✓ Write down what you remember (time of call, what was demanded, any names used, and how they asked you to pay) so you can report it clearly.

Small details can matter when you report a scam call. Save any voicemail. Note the phone number that appeared on your caller ID, even if you suspect it was spoofed. Write down exactly what the caller said - especially any demand for payment by cash app or prepaid card. Then pass that information along when you call 870-935-STOP or submit the email tip form.