Fraud Alerts

A collage of computer security icons and locks with the Wake County Sheriff's Office Bade overlaying the image.

The Wake County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a fraud alert regarding an ongoing phone scams where individuals are posing as law enforcement officers, impersonating members of the Wake County Sheriff's Office, and local police departments. 

Scammers have been making calls to residents within our community claiming to be Sheriff Rowe and other members of our office and demanding money, asking for a call back regarding a serious legal matter, a warrant for their arrest, or a missed jury duty date.

We want to make it clear that the Wake County Sheriff's Office does not call for such incidents, and any call requesting money is a fraudulent attempt.

There are programs that are used to spoof numbers, making it look as if the phone call is coming from a 919-area code. If you receive such a call, do not provide any personal information or payment. Instead, hang up immediately and report the incident to the Wake County Sheriff's Office at 919-856-6911.

"The best way for you to protect yourself from these scams is simply to hang up. Do not be intimidated into providing personal details or financial information," Sheriff Rowe said.

Here are some tips to help protect you from fraud:

  • Do not answer the phone unless you know who it is and it is someone you trust. This goes for landlines and cellphones. We do not recommend you start a dialog with a scammer. They can leave a message.

  • Do not answer any emails if you do not know who is sending them or where they are coming from. 

  • If you must call someone and you want to verify their phone number, Google the number to see if it matches the number that they are calling from.

  • Do not send cash in the mail, and try to avoid sending checks in the mail.

  • If someone is “collecting” cash from you at your home and you are not getting anything in return for that money, it’s most likely a scam.

  • If someone is requesting payment for something in the form of gift cards or BITCOIN, it is more than likely a scam.

  • Do not give any personal information over the phone unless you know you are speaking to a legitimate employee of the company. Verify their employment, if needed.