Middlesex Sheriff Warns Of Phone Scammers Posing As MSO Personnel

WORUBRN, MA — The Middlesex Sheriff's Office (MSO) is warning local residents about an ongoing phone scam that involves scammers posing as MSO personnel and demanding money.

According to the MSO, multiple local residents were targeted over the course of the last week. In some cases, the scammers have used the real names of MSO personnel and told residents to report to an actual MSO address.

The MSO said that none of the residents who reported receiving the calls had lost money.

In each case, according to the MSO, the scammers told a resident that there was a warrant or fine in the resident's name for failing to pay citations or appear for a federal grand jury.

The scammers sought anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars in order to clear up the matter, in some cases asking that the fines be paid using pre-paid cards.

"By using the names of actual Middlesex Sheriff's Office staff and giving residents real office addresses, these scammers are attempting to lend an additional appearance of credibility to their fraudulent schemes," Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said. "We want residents to be vigilant, and know that our staff will never threaten arrest or demand payment for fines over the phone. No legitimate law enforcement agency will ever ask that anyone pay a fine using a pre-paid card, Venmo or Bitcoin — that is a tell-tale sign of a scam."

The MSO said that if a resident receives a scam call in which the caller identifies themselves as an MSO deputy, the resident should contact the MSO at 978-667-1711 and ask to speak with the Inner Perimeter Security (IPS) unit. Residents also are encouraged to notify their local police department.

More information about law enforcement arrest scams is available on the Middlesex Sheriff's Office website.