Recently, Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright has seen a troubling scam trend among residents. Specifically, he’s seen a rise in phone scams.

Arganbright explains scammers are trying to convince residents that they are a family member or loved one who is in jail and need bail money to get out. Arganbright tells Raccoon Valley Radio these scammers like to especially target the elderly, and will use any means necessary to scare or trick victims into wiring or sending them money in any way.

Arganbright lists a red flag to consider when determining if the call is fraudulent in nature. “No one we deal with will say, ‘Don’t call anybody. Don’t tell anyone.’ Those are all red flags. If that happens, all they’re trying to do is scare you so that you send the money.”

He encourages the public to always contact law enforcement if they are unsure, as once the money is sent, it cannot be recovered. To hear more from Arganbright on this topic, listen to tomorrow’s Let’s Talk Guthrie County program.