Lebanon Police and the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office are continuing to ask residents to exercise due diligence as law enforcement impersonation scams remain ongoing.
Several times throughout the past few years, both departments have made statements on official social media and websites warning residents of individuals “spoofing†phone numbers attempting to lure victims into transferring money. Often these scammers claim residents have missed court dates or have arrest warrants and must pay to avoid jail time, usually demanding payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency or other electronic payment methods.
“[WCSO] has been made aware of an ongoing phone scam in which individuals are falsely using the names of our deputies and members of our administration to threaten citizens with arrest unless a specified fine is paid immediately,†a Sheriff’s Office official said. “The latest version of this scam claims the victim failed to appear in Federal Court and must pay a fine to avoid arrest.â€
LPD Public Information Officer Zach Patton posted a video on the department’s social media playing recordings of examples of the scam. According to Patton, they can sound very convincing, as some scammers may play recordings of police scanner audio in the background to help sell authenticity.
In one call Patton shared, the impersonator identified himself as Lt. Tim Woodson with WCSO, followed immediately by calling the potential victim “Mr. Woodson†before correcting himself.
“Isn’t that strange? He messed up the names, that’s a red flag right there,†Patton said.
When pressed for further information, these scammers often hang up. They often target elderly people and rely on pressure and creating anxiety to urge victims to quickly provide financial info. Another tactic is claiming victims have missed jury duty dates and must pay a fine.
“Legitimate court matters are handled through official written documentation and proper legal procedures — not threats over the phone,†WCSO said.
LPD and WCSO said officers will never call about missed jury duty obligations or demand payment to avoid punishment. If any calls seem “suspicious,†residents are asked to hang up and call LPD or WCSO directly using their non-emergency lines to report the incident.
LPD’s non-emergency number is 615-444-2323. WCSO’s is 615-444-1412.
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