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FORSYTH COUNTY — The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office wants community members to be aware of recent scams and remain vigilant to identify possible scams.

The most common scam circulating, at this time, relates to jury duty. Scammers are claiming to be with the “Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department” as they call individuals to tell them they missed jury duty. The scammers are using official terms such as “failure to appear” and “contempt of court,” as well as referencing specific deputies by name. Various names and ranks are being used by the scammer, including the name Captain Weiderman. During the call, individuals are being instructed to deposit money (usually well over $1,000) on a pre-paid gift card and then provide that card number to the “deputy” via phone and then mail the card to an address.

Here are five ways to recognize if a call or letter could be a scam:

1. Someone contacts you first, you never know who is on the other end of the phone.

2. The individual promises money or prizes.

3. The individual asks you to provide personal information, including banking account information or social security number.

4. You have to pay them first.

5. You have to wire money or send gift cards.

As a reminder, the sheriff’s office urges the community to never provide money via pre-paid money cards to individuals over the phone. The sheriff’s office has no authority to excuse a warrant for arrest, in exchange for payment. The department never wants to see community members bullied into giving their hard-earned money to scammers.

If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the sheriff’s office via telephone and you are unsure if it is legitimate, ask them to provide their name and phone number and you will call them back. Then, call the sheriff’s office at the non-emergency number at 336-727-2112 to provide the person’s name and phone number. This will allow the sheriff’s office to confirm if it is a valid phone call from one of its deputies.

To report a scam, call the non-emergency number at 336-727-2112 and provide as much information as possible — (“deputy” name, phone number, demands of the callers, etc.).

The sheriff’s office continues to urge citizens to never provide money to individuals over the phone via pre-paid money cards, cryptocurrency or any other payment method. If you suspect fraudulent activity, end the call immediately or keep any letters you received and immediately notify your local law enforcement agency to report the activity.

“We recognize that this is the season of giving, but we urge you to be cautious and avoid giving to the wrong cause,” Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough Jr. said. “If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent the police department or the sheriff’s office asking for money, it is a scam. Always stay safe and remain mindful. Remember, any officer or representative reaching out to you for money is not legitimate — it is a scam.”

As always, anyone with information related to criminal activity should contact the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office directly at 336-727-2112; anonymously text information, photos, and video via Text-A-Tip at 336-920-8477, or anonymously call Crimestoppers at 336-727-2800 for English or 336-728-3904 for Spanish. To report information concerning juvenile behavior or request juvenile intervention resources, call the Juvenile Intervention and Investigation Team number at 336-917-7030; you may remain anonymous.