Beware of deputy Sheriff impersonator requesting money in extortion scams

The Sheriff Division of the Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety has issued an alert about a Sheriff impersonator who tells individuals they owe money for outstanding warrants, traffic citations and/or missed jury duty.

The scammer usually instructs the victim to send money electronically. In some cases, the victims paid the scammer using cryptocurrency, according to the Hawaiʻi Department of Public Safety.

The public is reminded that Sheriffs do not call, text or email people asking for personal information or to solicit payment electronically or by phone.

Hawaiʻi residents also are advised not to provide credit card numbers, bank account information or other personal information to callers claiming to represent a law enforcement agency.

If you receive a call, text or email matching this scam, contact the Sheriff Division by calling 808-586-1352.

Tips to protect yourself:

• Do not communicate with unsolicited email or phone text senders.
• Do not open emails, attachments or links sent by text from unknown individuals.
• Never provide personal information of any sort via phone, text or email. Be aware that many emails requesting your personal information appear to be legitimate.