Scammers posing as St. Clair County Sheriff's Office staff and asking for money, officials say
The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office is warning of a recent scam that it says "many" people are falling victim to.
According to a news release sent Friday, the tether scam involves people calling or messaging family members of individuals booked at a local jail.
The scammers pose as members of the sheriff's office, and request money from the family member via digital platforms including PayPal, Zelle and Apple Pay to release their relative on a GPS tether. The sheriff's office said it will never request a payment through any of those means.
Officials said someone recently lost nearly $1,000 after getting a message from someone claiming to be Sergeant Wise with the sheriff's office. The message came from the phone number 810-734-6447.
"It is disheartening that individuals stoop low enough to play on others misfortunes and take advantage of others in a stressful time," Sheriff Mat King said in a written statement. "Please, remain vigilant, and if you ever suspect something may be a scam, reach out to local authorities."
Anyone who suspects a scam is asked to call the sheriff's office at 810-987-1700.