Member Submission: Scam in Alachua County
I have been waiting for two years for my husband to be hit by a scam targeting people on the registry. Well, it finally came today.
I received a call on my cell, which is not registered because it is MY cell, by an individual who introduced himself as an Alachua County sheriff. I would not have normally answered the call but I recognized the number on the Caller ID. I could not remember where I had seen it before, but knew it was legitimate. It turns out it was the main number for the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The scammer had spoofed it.
The guy just did not sound like a sheriff’s deputy. He seemed to have trouble getting his act together. Several things I said seemed to throw him as I guess I was not following the script that I was expected to follow. Unfortunately for the scammer, he had no idea that I was an active member of FAC and had read the many posts at our site warning all of us about people like him.
After he regained his composure, he said that he needed some information about my husband. As many of you know, my husband has dementia, and I have to handle everything for him.
At that point, I told the guy that I felt this was a scam but I was willing to hear what he had to say (just in case I was wrong).
That clearly irritated him. I told him that no law enforcement official would be irritated with me for saying that. They understand that there are a lot of scams going around and would have offered to verity that they were the “real” thing.
That made the guy even madder. I repeated that I was willing to listen to him but wanted him to know that I was strongly suspicious it was all a scam.
At that point, he angrily said he would be sending two deputies to our house to arrest my husband for a noncompliance charge. When I asked specifically what the noncompliance charge would be, he said it was because I had accused a deputy (him) of trying to scam me. He then hung up.
I called Detective Ferguson who heads up the SO Department in Alachua. I have always found him to be courteous and professional and having a lot of common sense. I explained that the man claimed to be a deputy in Alachua Co and gave the detective the Caller ID. Yes, he said, the guy clearly had spoofed their main number. And, no, there was no one headed to our house to arrest my husband.
So, Alachua County registered citizens, beware of someone who might be targeting other registered citizens in our county. Apparently, I am the first person to report the scam to the sheriff’s office here. If there are any other people who are targeted, please report it to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. The spoofed number that the scammer used will get you through to report him: 352-367-4000.
Thank you,
Media Chair
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My god, I wish a scammer would call me. I will waste all the time I have with them so they can’t scam anyone else. Like everyone has said, they are not going to call you and demand $. If you are going n the wrong they are going to just show up and get you. Ps if u can access internet, you must watch the scam baiters.
CKinfl
NOT a good idea from personal experience.
I had a scammer almost get me on a computer issue scam. I spent 2 hours trying to get my computer fixed and at the end, he wanted to access my computer. AND HE called me. I usually do not fall for anything but was so upset my computer had gone hayway.
Anyway I realized he called me but that my warranty was gone 8 years prior and even when IN warranty, they are not going to call and offer to help but I fell for it for 2 hours. Then at the last 2nd, God must have said “Hey dummy, wake up” and I told the guy nicely, “I am not comfortable with this and hung up.
Well guess what, he put my phone # on an auto dialer and it called everyone person on Earth, Mars and beyond. I called the police and of course they could not do anything. I called verizon and they said the only fix is to change your phone # and that is what I had to do.
My point is, just politely wish them a blessed day and hang up. If your piss them off, they can and will make you a target in many cases like in mine. It is bad enough so much of our lives are on public record that someone can actually go down to the county and take over your house without you even knowing it. That has been on the news many times just this year.
I always said I was not afraid of these people, that was until they made my life a living Hell. OK it already was one, but imagine even more problems on top of what we already endure. I have a pre-paid phone from Government assistance. I just found out that places sell our phone #’s and other info(Look it up) and that is why I/we get so many calls a day. I keep my phone off and just listen to the voice mails later in the day.
Of the 20 calls I get a day, I am lucky if even one of them is something I would have answered. I mean I live with my parents and I am on the registry, WHO is going to call me? Maybe Santa Claus but he put me on the naughty list 30 something years ago. 🙁
It’s hard NOT to take it personal, but just remember, it’s a NUMBERS GAME with all scammers. They know their success ratio and will keep at it until they find a sucker. They can call and harass 99 people and get no bites, then unlucky number 100 will fall for ALL of it and rush out to buy that coveted Cracker Barrel gift card.
100000 in Fla.was what that was supposed to be
Hey cherokee ill throw in and if you think about it 100,000 registered person’s in flash that’s only $110.00 per person is actually do able if everybody would go for it. Hell Australia was a penal colony at one time
Tim
The problem with Australia is the natives were pushed into small areas of land over the years just like here in the U.S. Heck even in the middle East, they are always fighting over who the lands belong to. People have been fighting over something since the dawn of time.
Food, land, girls, debts, weapons, technology, gold (That is my favorite lol)
At this point they may as well do away with the registry, because all they’re doing is hurting people. A lot of it is collateral damage. There are many people on the registry who should not be on it and pose no threat to society. There are many who are rapists out there who never get caught and placed on the list like they should. The list is a joke and all they’re doing is endangering people. If there are people that they feel are such a threat to society, then they should keep them locked up.
I bet if the scammers were trying to scam the cops they would be able to find a way to do something about it