Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips addresses scam calls and how to avoid them.
Local counties have recently experienced a series of scam calls imitating police departments and coercing individuals into paying a false bond by accusing the person of missing jury duty. Scam calls are increasingly becoming a concern, according to law enforcement. Phillips advises individuals to exercise caution when getting a call from an unknown number or a message online.
“[The scammers are] people calling people or your social media platforms are all just filled with those people that enjoy the scamming of other people.” Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips
Sheriff Phillips says, if necessary, law enforcement will contact you in person regarding any issues and avoid making phone calls. If someone falls victim to a scam, authorities can investigate to find the scammer if the victim loses money.
“Sometimes we can arrest [scammers] but most people get away with it. Law Enforcement ain’t gonna call you to send in money or if you missed jury duty.” Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips
Phillips says his office is unable to prevent scam calls. However, the public can limit their impact by not answering calls from unknown numbers.
“If I get a phone call and I don’t know who it is if they’re saying their a particular organization I just hang up. If you don’t know who it is don’t answer, the more you do [answer] the more spam you’ll receive.” Wapello County Sheriff Don Phillips
According to Federal Trade Commission, Iowans lost $42.6 million to scammers in 2023.
