BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- The Centre County Sheriff's Department is warning of a new phone scam circulating around the area.
Sheriff Bryan Sampsel says thieves are somehow 'spoofing' the department's government phone number, calling people saying there's a warrant out for their arrest.
"In the last two days, we've received several calls, mostly from Penn State employees, saying the Centre County Sheriff's Department is coming to arrest them if they don't provide information to them, bank accounts, saying they need to pay the money," says Sampsel.
At least 15 to 20 calls have come into the department about this scam.
This isn't how the department operates, Sampsel says. He says they would never make a phone call to you telling you there's a warrant out for your arrest.
Furthermore, he says the people on the other end of the line have a foreign accent and are claiming to be someone they're not.
"They'll use names like Officer John, Officer George. They've actually used my name," explains Sampsel.
According to a press release, the phone scammers go as far as to make fake court docket numbers to make you believe there's a court case ongoing against you.
Sampsel says the department is represented by deputies not officers, so if you hear that word, that's a red flag.
Right now it's believed no one has lost any money due to the scam.
While the scam seems to be targeting Penn State employees in Happy Valley and even at the Lehigh campus, Sampsel believes the scam could affect the community at large.
If you get a suspicious call, dial the Centre County Sheriff's Department at (814) 355-6803. If you get a suspicious call, immediately hang up. This number you cannot call back, you must dial the department's number manually.
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