The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Alerts Public To Fake Calls Where Scammers Pose As Deputies (Photo)
- 04/14/26
Bend, Ore. -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the community about an active phone scam in which callers impersonate deputies with the Sheriff’s Office and attempt to convince victims to pay bogus fines.
Over the past several days, deputies have responded to multiple reports of residents receiving fraudulent calls from individuals claiming to be with the Sheriff’s Office. The callers use phone number spoofing to make the call appear legitimate. They then falsely claim that the recipient has missed a court date or faces criminal charges, and demand payment to freeze or delay legal action.
These scammers even use the names of real Sheriff’s Office employees, but they often get key details wrong, including referring to Sheriff Ty Rupert as ‘Lieutenant Rupert’. We want the community to know that no deputy will ever call to ask for payment, request your financial information, or threaten arrest if you don’t pay.
Community members who receive suspicious calls are encouraged to:
- Verify the legitimacy of any law enforcement contact by calling non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911.
- Report the scam attempt to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
- Share this information with friends, family, and vulnerable community members who may be targeted.
No victims have reported financial losses at this time, but this type of scam is designed to pressure individuals into making quick payments, and even a single incident can cause significant harm.
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The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Alerts Public To Fake Calls Where Scammers Pose As Deputies (Photo)
- 04/14/26
Bend, Ore. -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the community about an active phone scam in which callers impersonate deputies with the Sheriff’s Office and attempt to convince victims to pay bogus fines.
Over the past several days, deputies have responded to multiple reports of residents receiving fraudulent calls from individuals claiming to be with the Sheriff’s Office. The callers use phone number spoofing to make the call appear legitimate. They then falsely claim that the recipient has missed a court date or faces criminal charges, and demand payment to freeze or delay legal action.
These scammers even use the names of real Sheriff’s Office employees, but they often get key details wrong, including referring to Sheriff Ty Rupert as ‘Lieutenant Rupert’. We want the community to know that no deputy will ever call to ask for payment, request your financial information, or threaten arrest if you don’t pay.
Community members who receive suspicious calls are encouraged to:
- Verify the legitimacy of any law enforcement contact by calling non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911.
- Report the scam attempt to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
- Share this information with friends, family, and vulnerable community members who may be targeted.
No victims have reported financial losses at this time, but this type of scam is designed to pressure individuals into making quick payments, and even a single incident can cause significant harm.
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