Phone scammers target Travis County residents
(Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)
The Travis County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a number of phone scams in the area.
TCSO says a caller uses the name of one of their deputies and claims the victim has failed to do something, like attend jury duty or pay taxes. The scammer then tells the resident they owe a fine and need to pay it immediately to avoid arrest.
TCSO says a common thread in all of the scams is that the caller always demands immediate payment through a gift card or money pack.
The sheriff's office is reminding people they will never demand payment through gift cards, money packs or wire transfers.
Authorities are telling residents to contact them at (512) 854-9770 if they receive a suspicious call and they will be able to verify it.