Pinellas Sheriff Warns Residents About Calls From Fake Deputies

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about scammers identifying themselves as deputies.

On Saturday, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center started receiving complaints from residents after they received calls from people claiming to be deputies and asking them for personal information. When residents questioned the scammers, they hung up. When residents tried to call them back, they reached the sheriff's communication center.

The scammers disguised their phone number as 727-582-6200, the phone number for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff is reminding residents to never give personal identifying information over the phone and to always ask questions of the person calling.

If you feel you have been a victim of this scam or a similar one, call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit at 727-582-6200.