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The Suffolk Sheriff’s Office is making citizens aware of a current telephone fraud purporting to be from them.

Scammers are identifying themselves as “Suffolk County” deputies, threatening the victim with an arrest warrant and advising them to pay with a gift card or turn themselves in immediately. 

The Suffolk Sheriff’s Office has also been advised that these scammers are now approaching citizens at their residences as well as contacting them by phone threatening the victim with an arrest warrant and advising them to pay with a gift card or turn themselves in immediately.  

According to the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office, if you receive any visits or phone calls from someone asking for any of your personal information, do not give it out. It is a scam. The Suffolk Sheriff’s Office will never call to request this type of information and will never threaten you in any way. 

If you are ever in doubt, hang up and call the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office at 757-514-7840.

The Sheriff’s Office offered these tips for readers to protect themselves.

• Don’t assume that the information displayed on your phone regarding who the caller is and is accurate. Any phone number could be masked.
• Never give out personal or financial information over the phone unless you know exactly whom you are dealing with.
• When in doubt about whom you are talking to on the phone, hang up and call the main number for the business that the scammer purports to be representing.

Please report all frauds to the Suffolk Police Department at 757-923-2350.