OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. — Scammers are spoofing names and the phone number from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and making calls in our area pretending to be the OCSO, according to an announcement by the OCSO.
The stories the scammers give to people vary from saying they have a warrant for their arrest, they didn’t show up for jury duty, or they just need to contact the OCSO as soon as possible.
Typically, the scheme is to obtain a person’s personal information or money.
If you receive an unsolicited call that you suspect may not be legitimate, the OCSO suggests that you hang up and call the agency back to verify the authenticity of the attempt to contact.
Additionally, scammers are reportedly texting individuals in an attempt to sell them t-shirts in the name of the OCSO. The OCSO reports that this is a scam circulating in our area and across Florida. The sheriff’s office does not have any part in soliciting in this manner.