The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office has been getting an increasing number of reports of residents and businesses being targeted by impersonation scams.
Locals have been getting calls and texts from AI bots pretending to be Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office employees. The AI scams demand money or gift cards from residents in exchange for not being arrested or for releasing someone they know from jail.
Sheriff Alyshia Dyer says these scammers spoof phone numbers to seem legitimate.
“If someone calls you and says they're a law enforcement officer and they're asking for money, or they're saying that you have a warrant, that is not how law enforcement operates. And so, that is a red flag. ”
Dyer says people should call the Sheriff’s Office to verify or report any electronic communications from those claiming to be law enforcement.
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