OC Sheriff’s Office warns about Spoofing

Last week, a resident reported to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office that they had received a phone call that showed the Sheriff’s name and his phone number on the caller I.D. This was a computer generated call that offered the business a sales pitch to get business leads. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office believes this a technique that many scammers use called “spoofing”. Scammers can make it appear that they are calling from your bank, a governmental office or a person calling from your local area code. However, those individuals may be calling from a number that is thousands of miles away. The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office recommends never giving out personal information over the phone as businesses you deal with have your personal information. If an offer sounds too good to be true, more than likely it is. If you think that someone is trying to scam you, then call your local law enforcement agency and file a report. In addition, never put money on a pre-paid card if someone you are not familiar with asks you too nor provide them with any money.