WCSO Warns of Phone Scam Impersonating Real Sergeant in Jury-Duty Warrant Scheme
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which a caller posed as a real WCSO sergeant, claimed the victim had missed federal grand jury duty, and demanded $10,000 in cash to clear two bogus bench warrants.
The scam targeted a local resident whose caller identified himself as “Jeremy Fisher” and claimed to be a Walton County Sheriff’s Office deputy. Sheriff’s officials confirmed that Sgt. Jeremy Fisher does work for the agency — but he was not the caller. The impostor told the resident she had missed federal grand jury duty and had two bench warrants out for her arrest, then gave her a choice: turn herself in or withdraw $10,000 in cash to resolve the warrants.
As the resident asked questions, the caller became more aggressive and claimed U.S. Marshals were on the way, according to the Sheriff’s Office. The resident was on a college campus at the time of the call and handed her phone to a nearby law enforcement officer, who recognized the name of the real Sgt. Fisher and knew the caller was not him. The caller hung up — then contacted the resident’s mother and attempted the same scam on her.
The warning applies directly to Freeport, where the Walton County Sheriff’s Office provides primary law enforcement coverage. It is the second deputy-impersonation scam the agency has flagged locally this year: in July, WCSO warned that scammers were using spoofed phone numbers and the names of real deputies to demand fake GPS ankle-monitor fees from families of recently arrested individuals. The common thread in both schemes is the misuse of real deputies’ identities to make bogus legal threats sound credible.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that it will not call residents to demand money, accept legal fees in cash, gift cards, or bitcoin, or threaten immediate arrest over the phone. Anyone who receives a call claiming they missed jury duty or have warrants and must pay immediately to avoid arrest should hang up and contact the Walton County Sheriff’s Office directly at its non-emergency line, (850) 892-8111.
Originally reported by WJHG NewsChannel 7.
Image: WJHG NewsChannel 7.
