If you get a call from someone claiming to be from the Northampton County Sheriff’s Department in which you’re told you are wanted and then directed to send money, it’s a scam.
County officials issued a statement Friday about the ruse, in which they say a “male caller identifying himself as Lt. George Volpe” says he is “contacting county residents being wanted for failing to appear at a court hearing and for jury duty.”
The caller then provides instructions on how to transfer money to them via Venmo, which is a mobile payment app.
“The public should be aware that this is a scam,” officials said. “The Northampton County Sheriff’s Department does not call residents and solicit money in lieu of arrest.”
Anyone who receives a suspicious phone solicitation should report it to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office at 1-800-441-2555 or sc***@at*************.gov.
