Over the last 24 hours several Norfolk area residents have received calls from someone claiming to be a captain or lieutenant from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The caller said that there was a warrant or outstanding fine for the person and directed them to get cash and go to a specific location. The victim was directed by the caller to stay on the phone the entire time.

These are fraudulent calls.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office will NEVER direct someone to get cash and go to a specific location. The Sheriff’s Office does not conduct this type of business over the phone.

Here are some red flags in these types of calls:

1. No caller ID information was displayed on the recipients phone.
2. The recipient of the call was directed to get cash and then somewhere other than a law enforcement office or station.
3. The recipient was directed to stay on the phone until the cash was turned over.
4. The caller volunteered some random personal information about the recipient, information that is readily available on social media.

Any of these red flags should indicate that the call is a scam.

Never give money in any form to someone who calls without verifying the information is true. A simple call to your nearest law enforcement agency will help you confirm the validity of the call.

Please be on guard for these types of calls and don’t let yourself be victimized.