Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
COLFAX — The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents to disregard a spam call demanding money.
Locals have been receiving calls from an individual impersonating a Whitman County Sheriff’s Deputy.
According to Undersheriff Chris Chapman, these calls often involve a person claiming there is an outstanding warrant for the recipient’s arrest, demanding payment of a fine over the phone to avoid arrest.
“It is clear-cut; they want you to pay an amount so they will not send police to your house. They want Apple Pay cards and stuff like that. Certainly, that is not how it works,” Chapman said. “If there is a warrant out for your arrest, we just show up and arrest you.”
Chapman advises recipients to hang up immediately if they receive such a call. He noted that this scam particularly affects older individuals, who may be more vulnerable to such tactics.
The Whitman County Sheriff’s Office is working to gather more information about these spam calls to protect the community.
Last week, Chapman received a call from a woman who added him to the phone call to confront the spammer.
“When I confronted them about it on the phone, they hung up,” he said.
Chapman urges everyone to inform their friends and neighbors about these calls.
Given the prevalence of online and phone scams, the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone to protect themselves by not providing payment over the phone for fictitious legal matters.
“It’s really common, but if anyone wants you to pay with gift cards or Apple Pay, it’s a sign that it is probably not legitimate,” Chapman said.
Olivia Harnack is a Journalist at the Whitman County Gazette. Olivia is enrolled at University of Idaho and is majoring in digital film studies. She serves in the United States Army National Guard and is proud to serve Whitman County.
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