Tarrant County Sheriff warns of rise in scam calls

TARRANT COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about the rise in scams involving fake warrants. 

Individuals are calling victims in Tarrant County, the sheriff's office said, telling them they have outstanding warrants, unpaid citations, or failure to report to court as a jury member or witness.  

The scam also involved asking victims to stay on the phone while purchasing Green Dot cards, gift cards or using Zelle or Cashapp to pay the fraudulent fine or bond. The phone numbers they call from may appear to be legitimate. 

The sheriff's office said that they do not call citizens demanding they put money on Green Dot cards, gift cards or over-the-phone account transfers to pay outstanding fines or avoid arrest. 

The sheriff's office said to call your local police department if you think you've been the victim of a scam. If you live in the unincorporated areas of Tarrant County, you can contact the sheriff's office at 817-884-1213. 

For more information and tips on detecting scams, visit the Attorney General's Official Website or the U.S. Department of Treasury.

According to a 2021 T-Mobile report on scam calls, if you live in the 214- or 817- area codes, you live in one of the most targeted metro areas in the country.