Leon County Sheriff's Office and partners are warning residents about an increase in impersonation scam calls, with 132 reports filed since January 2025 — 26 of those are from this year alone. In one of the largest cases, a victim lost $500,000 in gold.
Recently, the scams typically involve callers posing as law enforcement officers and demanding immediate payment to resolve fabricated legal issues, such as a missed jury duty summons or a warrant.
Deputy Mary Pilkanis said the callers use fear and urgency to pressure victims.
"They tell you, right, that they have a warrant. You've missed jury duty is the most common one. Other ones that we've received have been that your loved one has been arrested and they can get a bond right away," Pilkanis said.
Pilkanis said the callers are deliberate in keeping victims engaged and off-balance.
"The big thing is they want to keep you on the phone, they want to scare you into staying on the phone, and they're going to tell you the only way to take care of this right now is to pay that money to get rid of the warrant or to protect your accounts," Pilkanis said.
Law enforcement says these crimes are frequently under-reported because victims feel embarrassed, a factor contributing to the increase in cases.
"I think the reason we're seeing a lot of uptick in these kind of cases is because of how successful they've been. These guys, they pass this information along through their networks, including the scripts and everything, and they're able to do their own research into the people that live in our communities, and then they make the phone call," Deputy Justin Norman said.
Sheriff Walt McNeil called the situation a crisis and urged the community to stay alert.
"This is a crisis, a crisis that we have to address, not only because it's impacting the lives, the livelihood of our citizens. They're taking millions of dollars from people who cannot afford to do that," McNeil said.
McNeil said it's important for residents to know that law enforcement does not collect money at the door before a court appearance.
"If they understand the dynamics of what's taking place, everybody should know that a deputy is never coming to your house, actually asking for money before you go to court," McNeil said.
If you receive a call you believe is a scam, the Sheriff's Office advises hanging up immediately and calling LCSO's main number to verify the call and report it — (850) 606-3300.
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