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Possible scam involves someone posing as sheriff’s deputy

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Routt County Sheriff’s Office is dealing with a trickster, and they definitely do not consider it a treat.

Someone has been cloning the Sheriff’s Office’s main phone number, 970-870-5503, and calling people posing as a sergeant.

The Sheriff’s Office has received reports from two citizens who have been contacted by the person posing as local law enforcement.

Undersheriff Doug Scherar said the caller has left messages saying they have an urgent matter to discuss and asking people to return their call at 970-542-7101.

“Nobody has actually spoke to an individual,” Scherar said. “They just got voicemails.”

Scherar said that fortunately no one has so far returned the call and instead called the real Sheriff’s Office because it sounded shady.

The scammer refers to Routt County as “Root” County.

Scherar said the scammer’s phone number is registered to a landline on the Front Range.

“But it’s not registered for a specific individual,” Scherar said.

Scams involving people posing as a police officer are not uncommon.

Typical scams of this type usually request the recipient to wire bond money to the caller to bail out a family member they claim is incarcerated.

Sometimes, they tell the recipient that they have a warrant out for their arrest, and the recipient of the call can clear up the warrant by sending bond money.

The scams can sometimes be very convincing, Scherar said.

The Sheriff’s Office never calls asking people for bond money to be sent by mail or wire transfer.

People wanting to speak to an officer should contact Routt County Communications at 970-879-1090.

Some unwanted phone calls can be avoided if a person registers with the Do Not Call Registry, which is managed by the Federal Trade Commission.

The registry provides marketers with a list of people they are not allowed to call.

According to the FTC’s website, once registered a phone number stays on the registry until the registration is cancelled or service for the number is discontinued.

The registry accepts registrations from both cell phones and landlines. To register by telephone, call 1-888-382-1222. You must call from the phone number that you want to register. To register online at donotcall.gov, you will have to respond to a confirmation email.

To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247, email mstensland@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @SBTStensland.


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