From the Blount County Sheriff’s Office:

Maryville, Tennessee – Blount County Sheriff James Lee Berrong is warning citizens of an ongoing phone scam regarding ankle monitors. The Sheriff’s Office has received numerous complaints from citizens about a scammer posing as a law enforcement officer calling and telling them a loved one has been arrested and that they must pay thousands of dollars for an ankle monitor. Unfortunately, some of the victims paid the money.

To be clear: at NO TIME will a deputy call the family of an arrestee. If an arrestee is eligible for an ankle monitor upon release, the deputy communicates directly with the person who was arrested as well as the ankle monitoring company – NEVER with the family of the person who was arrested.

We believe these criminal scammers are targeting family members of individuals who are incarcerated in the BCSO correctional facility based on information they obtain from the BCSO website and the Sheriff’s app. The Inmate Now function on the website and app is public record and accessible to everyone.

This is an ongoing scam that we’ve posted about numerous times in the past. These criminal scammers will stop at nothing to get your money. PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THIS!! If you ever receive a phone call from someone saying they work for a law enforcement agency and demanding money for ankle monitoring, outstanding warrants, missed jury duty, or anything similar, it is a scam. If you ever have any doubt about a call of this nature that you receive, please call the Sheriff’s Office directly to confirm it.

Sheriff’s deputies may call individuals about routine business, but you will NEVER be asked to provide payment by way of bank account information, credit card, gift cards, bitcoin, or any other method of payment by way of phone. These calls usually come from internet generated phone numbers, and sometimes spoofed numbers that make it look as if the call is coming from a legitimate organization. Never provide payment information over the phone to individuals or companies that you are not familiar with and that call to solicit and threaten you!

Please share this post and continue to warn your family and friends who may not be tuned into social media. We do not want to see anyone victimized by these criminals!