Phone Scammers ID Themselves as Court Officials

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department is warning citizens of a telemarketing scam involving individuals who identify themselves as sheriff’s deputies and harass potential victims to get personal information, which could lead to identity theft.

The department is investigating at least one male with a heavy accent who has called residents claiming to be “Deputy Thomas O’Brien” from the sheriff's department. The man allegedly said he is following up on false charges against the resident, and tells them to contact “Detective Samuel Baxter” to discuss the complaint.

According to the sheriff's department, the “scammer” may ask for personal information such as the person’s date of birth, social security number and address—all of which can lead to identity theft.

“Impersonating a law enforcement officer is a serious crime and it ruins the trust that people have for official law enforcement officers,” said Sheriff Eileen Whalon Behr. "The MCSD does not make phone calls regarding details of civil matters, and we don’t collect personal information over the phone."

Anyone who has been a victim of this sort of crime should contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department at 215-278-3331 or e-mail sheriffoffice@montcopa.org to report the incident.