Bowie County Residents Warned of Deputy Impersonation Scam

We keep coming back to this type of SCAM warning over and over again, and we're going to keep warning you until it stops happening.

The Bowie County Sheriff’s Office has issued a new alert about this scam in which callers impersonate BCSO Deputies to demand payment under the threat of arrest.

The scammers are using something called "caller ID spoofing" to make it appear as if they are calling from a local number. Then, posing as deputies, they claim there is an urgent legal matter requiring immediate action, often pressuring victims to pay fees or fines to avoid being taken into custody.

Get our free mobile app

Bowie County Sheriff Jeff Neal says the Sheriff’s Office will never call residents to demand payment, request gift cards, or arrange in-person meetings for financial transactions. The Sheriff urges anyone who receives such a call to hang up immediately and avoid providing any personal or financial information.

If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a call, contact the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office directly at 903-798-3149. After hours or on weekends, residents can reach a patrol supervisor at 903-798-3876.

Overall Remember This:

If someone calls you and demands payment immediatly, or is rushing you in any way, or wants private information like social security numbers, driver's license numbers, or bank account information, chances are pretty good you're dealing with someone trying to scam you out of your money or identification. The quickest way to handle this is just hang up. If they are legitimate, you should be able to contact the organization they represent through the company's website or by phone. If it's a credit card company, call the number on the back of the card, if it's a bank, look up the main number online and call it to make sure what the caller is saying is legitimate. Never trust the caller, never contact them through a number or website they supply.