BLOUNT COUNTY SHERIFF WARNS OF ANKLE MONITOR PHONE SCAM
From the Blount County Sheriff’s Office:
Maryville, Tennessee – Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong is asking you to beware of an ongoing phone scam related to ankle monitors issued by Probation and Parole. We have received reports from victims who received a phone call from a scammer claiming to be law enforcement and telling the individuals they need to pay for an ankle monitor device after they were released from jail or they will be arrested. The scammer is telling individuals to use Apple Pay and/or Pay Pal, as well as other options including gift cards. Some victims have lost thousands of dollars.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office nor any agency in Blount County will call an individual after they’ve been released from jail to tell them they need to pay for an ankle monitor. Any bond conditions are settled prior to an individual being released from jail. THIS IS A SCAM. If you receive a call like this, ignore it.
Sheriff’s Office personnel may call individuals about routine business, but you will NEVER be asked to provide payment over the phone, and you will NEVER be asked to pay by way of Pay Pal, Apple Pay, gift cards, or any other means other than in person at the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies will also NOT ask you to meet at random locations to pay for anything. If you ever have any question about the legitimacy of a phone call you receive from anyone at the Sheriff’s Office, you can call the main number at 865-273-5000 during normal business hours to inquire about it.
Ignore these phone calls, and if you receive a call from unknown numbers, don’t answer them. You can also install a spam blocking app on your cell phone and/or put your number on the do not call list.
