FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 13, 2015

CONTACT: Peter Van Delft
(617) 704-6682

SHERIFF TOMPKINS, DEPARTMENT WARN ABOUT TELEPHONE SCAM

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department is warning citizens of a telephone scam involving a man falsely claiming to work for the Civil Process Division.

As part of the scam, the caller allegedly claims to be a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Deputy and informs victims that they’ve failed to report for jury duty and are subject to arrest and possible imprisonment unless they pay a fine to settle the matter. Victims are then instructed by the alleged perpetrator to purchase a prepaid credit card from their local store and provide the number to the scammer via telephone. The victim is then told to deliver the card in person at what is the official address of the Civil Process Division at 132 Portland Street in an effort to make the victim believe that the caller is an official representative of the Division.

“We want citizens to know that this is most definitely a scam and to take the proper precautions against this individual or individuals,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins. “Any arrests carried out by our civil deputies are done in person, never by telephone, and any financial transactions are performed inside the Civil Process Division at 132 Portland Street, not over the phone or on the street.”

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department advises that citizens who receive similar calls should not give out any personal information to the caller and should immediately report the call to their local law enforcement agency. The Department also asks that you call The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department Investigative Division (SID) at: (617) 704–6544.