The scammers keep trying: Fayette sheriff says calls about unpaid fines are a hoax

The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to Lexington residents of an often-used phone scam.

A caller has falsely identified himself as a deputy sheriff and has asked victims for payment to settle a fine, the sheriff’s office said. The caller asks victims to purchase a pre-paid or re-loadable card and then provide the “deputy” with the card number.

This is a scam, according to the sheriff’s office.

“We will never ask you for money or threaten you with arrest if you do not pay a fine,” it said in a Facebook and Twitter post. “Be cautious of calls that request payment of access to personally identifiable information.”

The sheriff’s office has issued similar warnings of telephone scams in 2013, 2014 and 2015. Past scams involved a caller claiming the victim had a warrant, unpaid fine or missed grant jury appearance, which required payments.

If you are contacted, do not send money and immediately contact the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff at 859-252-1771.

This story was originally published January 9, 2018 at 3:09 PM with the headline "The scammers keep trying: Fayette sheriff says calls about unpaid fines are a hoax."