From the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office:

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office wants to warn our community about a phone scam that’s currently going around Loudon County. Scammers are calling residents pretending to be members of the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office and claiming that a family member has been arrested or needs an ankle monitor.

They may tell you that you need to pay a bond or fee using a Green Dot card or other prepaid card from local stores like Walgreens or CVS. Some victims have even received follow-up text messages as “friendly reminders” to complete the payment.

Please remember –

The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office will never call you asking for money, gift cards, or payment to bond out a family member.

We will never request payment for an ankle monitor or any court-related matter over the phone.

If you receive a call like this, hang up immediately and do not send any money or share personal information.

If you have questions, believe you’ve been scammed, or would like to speak to a deputy, please contact our non-emergency dispatch at (865) 458-9081 or your local law enforcement agency if you are outside Loudon County.

Help us spread the word by sharing this post so others don’t fall victim to this scam.