Branch County Sheriff’s department warns of telephone scam

Someone has been impersonating a Branch County Sheriff’s official on the phone, according to the department,

Branch County is warning residents of the active telephone scam. Currently, the office is receiving information that a scammer is contacting individuals by phone and posing as a Sargeant in the department. The caller is providing the actual name and badge number of one of the Sergeants to make the call appear legitimate.

The caller is then demanding the potential victims to make a payment using Bitcoin.

The Branch County Sheriff’s Department is letting everyone know the office would never call you and demand money or payment over the phone. They certainly would not request payment via Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, gift cards or prepaid cards, authorities said.

Officials are telling individuals to never give personal information over the phone or payment. Do not provide personal or financial information.

If you are unsure if a call is legitimate, please contact the sheriff’s department directly at 517-278-2325.

Scammers may use publicly available information and technology that can make a telephone number appear legitimate on Caller ID. Never rely on the information displayed on your phone to verify a caller’s identity.