Pinedale on the Web!
Pinedale, Wyoming
Home | Calendar of Events | Photo Gallery | Local Businesses |

Scam Alert

Thursday, March 21, 9:45AM: SCAM ALERT 2 A local Pinedale citizen has alerted us to a new incarnation of the phone scams, now targeting the Pinedale/Sublette County area. People are getting calls from someone claiming to be a deputy from the Sheriff’s Office and saying there are warrants out for the person’s arrest. In order to stop from being arrested, the person is instructed to make monetary payments in some fashion. Apparently some people have already lost money falling for this scam. One caller apparently said he was a local officer whose name people might recognize, however with a newly acquired southern accent. Scammers can spoof (fake) phone numbers that show up in the caller ID. Do not believe the displayed number is the true phone number of the caller. Never give money in any form (credit card, bank withdrawals, PayPal, gift cards, etc) to a person calling on the phone. Hang up on these callers. Warn your friends, especially anyone vulnerable in your circle whom you think may not be aware of these kinds of scam calls.

Last Saturday, someone did a similar scam blast targeting people in the Salt Lake City, Utah area spoofing Pinedale Online’s phone number and claiming to be from Rocky Mountain Power telling people they will have their power shut off if they don’t immediately pay their bill.

These calls were not coming from Pinedale Online or Rocky Mountain Power. Utilities do not call people to collect on delinquent accounts. Never give out a credit card number or personal information about any of your accounts over the phone to a caller, no matter who they claim to be. These people can sound quite convincing and be quite high pressure in their tactics. Don’t be tricked.

If you are concerned, hang up on the caller, and use a number from your utility bill or the phone book to call back the agency the scammer claimed to be from. Never call back a phone number the caller gives you, it is part of the scammer’s network continuing the scam.