By Tracie Sullivan, For Iron County Today
An imposter posing as a law enforcement officer is dialing up Iron County residents, demanding cash for bogus legal issues.
The imposter is targeting community members with demands for payment, claiming they owe for supposed legal issues like outstanding warrants, citations, missed court dates, and even missed jury duty.
Victims are then being pressured to pay immediately, often through ATM/Bitcoin kiosks, under the threat of severe consequences. One victim was swindled out of $2,500 before realizing it was a scam, said Lt. Dave Mitchell.
The scammer has been operating for several months, but the situation has escalated in the last two days.
“Yesterday, three victims came into our office, and today we’ve had three or four more,” Mitchell revealed. “This person is clearly ramping things up, and we are deeply concerned.”
The scammer is not just another run-of-the-mill fraudster either. The scammer has an alarming level of insider knowledge, going as far as to impersonate himself as, “Lt. Dave Mitchell.”
When questioned by victims about the legitimacy of his claims, the scammer also provides the phone number to the Sheriff’s Office to add a layer of credibility.
“He tells them that they can call the sheriff’s office and validate what they are telling them and he gives them our phone number,” Mitchell said.
Even more concerning is that the scammer knows Mitchell’s call numbers.
Call numbers are unique identifiers assigned to law enforcement officers, used primarily for internal communication and tracking within the department.
These numbers are typically confidential and not accessible to the public, making it particularly concerning when someone outside the department has access to them.
“This is not someone who just stumbled onto the information,” Mitchell said.“We keep those call numbers pretty private and that’s what makes this so troubling.”
“I’m taking this personally because it’s not just about fraud—it’s about someone using my name and reputation to manipulate and steal from our citizens.”
Mitchell expressed his concerns about the potential use of advanced technology, such as AI, which could be aiding the scammer in this deception.
“With AI technology, you just don’t and people can do a lot with technology,” Mitchell added. “We have detectives working on this case but it’s difficult finding the people behind these types of scams. They could be anywhere or anyone.”
The Iron County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to be extremely cautious and to remember that legitimate law enforcement officers will never call citizens to demand payment for any court-related matter.
“We need the community’s help to spread the word and prevent more people from becoming victims,” Mitchell said.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to share fraud protection tips and updates on their Facebook page and website, and they encourage anyone receiving suspicious calls to request a face-to-face meeting with a deputy for verification.
If you have been targeted by this scam or have any information, you are urged to contact Iron County Dispatch at 1-435-586-9445 to file a report.