LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Loudon County Sheriff's Office is warning people across the community about a scam in which a person poses as an officer and encourages people to make a payment as part of some supposed legal trouble they are in.
It was posted on social media and the sheriff's office said the caller spoofs phone numbers that appear to come from the LCSO, posing as an officer. The caller encourages people to make payments either online or over the phone to avoid being arrested.
The Loudon County Sheriff's Office said it would never contact people asking for payment. It also said it received between 30 and 40 calls about the scam in the last few days. The scam is similar to other ones previously reported by East Tennessee law enforcement agencies in the past.
The sheriff's office also warned elderly people are usually vulnerable to these kinds of scams. Because many elderly people are on fixed incomes, the sheriff's office also said they may not be able to afford the payments that the scammer asks for.
Anyone who receives a scam call asking for money should report it to authorities.