SCOTTS BLUFF -- The Scotts Bluff Sheriff's Department is aware of multiple frauds/scams targeting citizen in the area. Scams include a person portraying themselves as a law enforcement officer and a second as bank official.

Sheriff’s Office/Jury Duty scam

Unknown persons call people claiming to be a Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputy, using the name of a real Deputy. Caller ID shows up as the Sheriff’s Office phone number. This is a “Spoof” call, the suspects can decide what number shows up in your caller ID. The caller claims that there is a warrant or some other payment due to the Sheriff’s Office, and not paying it will result in your arrest. The victims are instructed to take cash to a bitcoin machine and deposit it. In other versions, the suspect may ask the person to purchase cash or gift cards at a store and turn over the numbers on the cards. No law enforcement agency will ever call someone and ask them to make a deposit in a bitcoin machine or purchase cash cards. We are aware of many thousands of dollars in losses from these scams.  

Please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 308-436-6667 with any questions.

Bank scam via text messages 

This scam targets Platte Valley Bank, is ongoing and has also happened nationwide with many financial institutions.  In the local case, perpetrators use automated software to target large numbers of cell phones with local 308 area codes. The originating numbers are “spoofed” and don’t exist. Clicking on the link in the text message to “report” the scam takes the user to a fraudulent website that looks identical to the bank’s, but in fact has no connection to the bank.

Logging in to that fake website with your username and password turns that information over to the scammers immediately, giving them access to your bank accounts. Anyone who has provided banking information through a malicious link should contact the bank immediately. 

Platte Valley Bank distributed this example via their social media account.  We are using it with their permission.