Sheriff Russell Warns of Phone Scam

The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a current telephone phishing scam. Scammers are masking their phone number to show up on caller IDs as a law enforcement agency. Once the phone is answered, the scammer tells the victim they must pay a fine or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

If you receive any phone calls with someone asking for any of your personal information or credit card information, DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY INFO. The Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office or any other agency will never call to request this information. If you receive any calls like this, please call and report it.

Tips to protect yourself:
1. Don’t assume that the information displayed on your phone, regarding who the caller is, is accurate, any phone number can be masked.
2. Never give out personal or financial information over the phone unless you know EXACTLY whom you’re dealing with.
3. If you have doubts about who’s on the phone, call the main number back rather than talking to the person who calls you.