- Montana persons under supervision are being targeted by a phone call from local county sheriff’s departments threatening fines for not being registered as a sex offender. When a client returns the call, the recorded auto attendant is almost identical to the legitimate sheriff’s department recorded greeting. During these calls, the scammers know actual law enforcement and judicial official names and will relay facts using correct terminology. This scam will eventually go a step further whereby the scammer offers to meet with the client personally for payment of a bond or fine instead of coming into the law enforcement office. This spear phishing scam is sophisticated. When receiving a call of this nature, think about:
- Who initiated the first contact?
- Is the law enforcement asking for account information or money?
- Is the law enforcement official offering to do you a favor by making it easier to pay a bond or fine, whether by over the phone payment or arranging to meet you in person for payment?
If unsure about a call from law enforcement, hang up and independently seek the published contact number for the agency to verify the call. You can also reach out to your probation officer to discuss the validity of the call.
- Montana persons under supervision are being targed by callers typically pretending to represent the U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Parole Commission or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. These calls promise various services and benefits, including assignment to lower security prisons, release from BOP custody, termination of supervised release and approved relocation requests. The goal appears to be to obtain money and personal information. U.S. Probation Offices and other federal agencies do not ask for money in exchange for services. Suspected scam calls may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or by calling (877) 382-4357.
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Scams involving families of location monitoring participants along with those subject to TSR and BOP inmates has spiked. Callers pretend to represent the U.S. Probation office, U.S. Parole Commission or the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Their goal is to obtain money in exchange for services. All BOP federal location monitoring referral related issues are received by the U.S. Probation Office directly. U.S. probation officers and staff from other federal agencies do not ask for money in exchange for services. Please report these calls to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or by calling (877) 382-4357.