Warren County sheriff provides scam call warning

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The Warren County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing phone scam that has cost some victims thousands of dollars.

Warren County sheriff Brett Hightower says scammers are posing as law enforcement officers and using fear to pressure people into handing over money.

“It’s real simple in a way,” Hightower said. “Most people don’t have a lot of contact with law enforcement. So the words they use seem somewhat believable because they catch you off guard.”

According to Hightower, callers typically claim the victim missed a court date and that paperwork or a warrant has been issued. The scammer may even instruct the person to come to the sheriff’s office — a tactic designed to make the call seem legitimate.

“In most people’s minds, there’s a trigger that flips,” Hightower explained. “They think, ‘There’s no way this could be a scam if they’re telling me to come to the sheriff’s office.’ But that’s all part of it.”

Once the victim says they are on their way, the caller changes course. The scammer then claims that if the person shows up, they will be arrested because of an active warrant. The caller offers to “help” resolve the issue by redirecting the victim to purchase Bitcoin, gift cards, or other forms of payment.

“They’ll tell you to get a receipt and bring it down here,” Hightower said. “Unfortunately, we have at least about one person a week who walks into the sheriff’s office with some type of receipt wanting to make sure it’s taken care of. That’s when we know they’ve been scammed.”

Hightower emphasized that these scams are not just about intelligence.

“It’s not intelligence — it’s emotion,” he said. “They’re making hundreds of phone calls a day. They’ve perfected their sales pitch. They become very good at it.”

Some victims in Warren County have lost between $10,000 and $12,000 in a single day. In one case involving a Facebook scam, a victim lost more than $90,000.

The biggest red flag, Hightower says, is any request for money.

“If they’re asking for any type of monetary exchange, that’s the flag,” he said. “We do not handle or manage money over a warrant or a summons. We would never ask you to buy Bitcoin or gift cards.”

He also warned that scammers can “spoof” phone numbers, making it appear as though the call is coming from the sheriff’s office.

“If we’re going to come get you, we’re not going to call you first,” Hightower said. “If somebody receives a phone call like that, you can pretty much bet it’s a scam.”

Residents who receive one of these calls are encouraged to hang up immediately. Hightower says the longer someone stays on the phone, the more opportunity scammers have to build fear and pressure.

“They want to draw you in and make you fearful,” he said. “The best thing you can do is just hang up.”

Anyone unsure about a call can contact the Warren County Sheriff’s Office directly to verify the information.

Officials say staying informed and sharing warnings with friends and family, especially those who may be more vulnerable, can help prevent future victims.