{"id":258084,"date":"2026-04-08T20:03:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:03:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/258084\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T20:03:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:03:09","slug":"why-calif-sheriffs-office-warns-about-caller-with-southern-accent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/258084\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Calif. sheriff’s office warns about caller with Southern accent"},"content":{"rendered":"

For years, a phone scammer has targeted residents by impersonating top sheriff\u2019s office brass in the Central Valley<\/a> and attempting to trick them into sending money online. The Fresno County Sheriff\u2019s Office has warned the public since at least 2023<\/a> about the ongoing scam<\/a>. Recently, the office\u00a0offered more details about the identity of the scammer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis person, who reportedly uses a strong southern accent, is a fraud and does not work for the Fresno County Sheriff\u2019s Office,\u201d spokesperson Tony Botti wrote in a release<\/a> last month.<\/p>\n

Botti said the scammer tends to \u201cprey on elderly citizens\u201d by claiming they are a captain, lieutenant or sergeant with the sheriff\u2019s office and running a common scheme called the \u201cActual Loved-One Is in Jail Scam<\/a>.\u201d In this case, the victim is told they have a loved one in jail, and in order for the loved one to be released, the victim has to buy an ankle monitor that can cost \u201chundreds or even thousands of dollars.\u201d Botti said victims are told to send money through a digital payment like Zelle or Cash App or with cryptocurrency and that they can later return the ankle monitor to get their money back.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe always want to remind you that the Fresno County Sheriff\u2019s Office never does business this way,\u201d Botti said in a clip<\/a> about the scam. \u201cWe will not call you to tell you you\u2019re in trouble, you missed jury duty, you have a warrant out for your arrest and that if you pay a sum of money, you\u2019re going to get out of trouble.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Berry said he \u201ccan\u2019t confirm\u201d if the scammer impersonating a member of the\u00a0Marin County Sheriff\u2019s Office also has a strong Southern accent, but he\u2019s seen these types of scams for years. \u201cThey\u2019ve used my name at one point,\u201d he said. \u201cI think they find information on the internet.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n