The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about a string of phone scams going around. In one of the phone scams, scammers impersonate personnel from the Sheriff's Office.
Victims are told to call back before an arrest is made. The number call back then goes to an official sounding, but phony, voicemail saying callers have reached the Sheriff’s Office Data Practices Center.
Major Dan Kurtz says scammers are impersonating him with what he describes as a "pretty horrible southern accent."
Victims in the calls are threatened with arrest if they don't pay up.
"They call to say that there's a pending court case or that this person has a warrant and that they need to pay," explains Kurtz. "Or that they'll be arrested and then they request payment right over the phone."
Another scam targets individuals leaving jail custody. A person identifying as a sergeant requests payment at a kiosk for an ankle monitor, and also threatens arrest.
Kurtz says it's important for people to remember, police officers don't call for cash.
"Law enforcement will never call and ask for payment over the phone for any type of court case or any type of warrant," he told WCCO Radio.
Kurtz says holding these criminals accountable is nearly impossible since most of the perpetrators are overseas.
"Obviously far outside the reach of the Hennepin County Sheriff's office, and just so very difficult to track," Kurtz said. "And then when we do track them, they can obviously, very easily, just change the game up and change their number, et cetera. So it's very difficult to track down as well."
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says it's important to report any scam phone numbers to police.