A new flurry of scam calls across the region might trip up targets. Graham County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy James Keifer contacted The Graham Star on Friday, asking for the public to be made aware of the approach.
At least two local residents had contacted the office after receiving calls from someone identifying themselves as either a "lieutenant" or "sergeant" with the Graham County Sheriff's Office.
The approach was the same for both calls: the scammer attempts to inform the other party that they have either a "warrant or criminal issues" that need to be resolved, before requesting that $4,000 be sent to clear up the matter.
Thankfully, neither person that received the calls locally fell for the ruse – but others might not be so lucky.
Keifer noted that the sheriff's office will never contact anyone to solicit money. He said in a follow-up discussion Tuesday that the scam is beginning to spread, with reports of the same method being used in Haywood County.
Anyone wishing to report any potential fraudulent calls are advised to call the Graham County Sheriff's Office, at 828-479-3352.