I can't believe how many scams are out there and it gets worse during the holiday season.

You need to stay ever vigilant for scams over the next few months and the Grant County Sheriff's Department is warning people that someone is impersonating a deputy and demanding money over the phone.

The Grant County Sheriff's Department posted how the scam works:
--The caller ID on the victim’s phone may say the call is from the sheriff’s office, but the number has been “spoofed.” One number which has been used recently is "509-717-3036 ext. 1".
--The scammer identifies themself by name as a member of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office. They may also use the name of a real deputy in order to enhance the swindle’s believability.
--The scammer may tell the victim to “call me back on my direct line” and the scammer provides a different number.
--The scammer raises the victim’s anxiety level by claiming the victim had missed a court date, ignored a subpoena, or failed to pay a fine.
--The scammer uses high-pressure tactics and speaks with a sense of urgency.
--The fake deputy tells the victim that they could rectify the missed court appearance by paying a fine and all would be forgiven.
--The scammer asks for the fine to be paid in Green Dot Gift Cards. By using that method, the money is lost instantly, because the scammers have victims read the card numbers to them over the phone. By doing that, the scammer has the cash almost instantly.
Don't fall for this scam. If it comes to a Government Agency, always go to the original source and never give money sight unseen to anyone especially over the phone.
Please be aware because I don't want to see you get scammed and lose money.
The best way for someone to check with the sheriff’s office to see if there’s a problem is to call the sheriff’s office directly using the number listed on the internet, 509-754-2011.
The best advice: if you get a money demand call like that, just hang-up. No law enforcement officer requests money over the phone, especially via untraceable gift cards.
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