Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Elder Fraud Scams topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sheriff warns of increased scams targeting Cobb seniors, urges residents not to pay callers
Summary
Sheriff Craig Owens described multiple fraud schemes aimed at older residents — fake arrest calls demanding payment, toll‑text scams and medical‑emergency cons — and said the sheriff's office is issuing public alerts, using its mobile app and working with federal partners to trace spoofed numbers.
Sheriff Craig Owens warned Cobb County residents that scammers are increasingly targeting older adults with phone and text schemes and urged people not to send money or gift cards in response to unsolicited calls.
Owens described a frequent scam in which callers impersonate a law‑enforcement employee and tell family members that a loved one has been arrested, then demand immediate payment — often $500 — to secure release. “They say, ‘I am Sergeant Joe Blow from Cobb County Sheriff's Office. Your loved one has been arrested. If you do not want him or her to stay in the detention center, send us $500,’” Owens said. He added that scammers use spoofed phone numbers and often supply real names and courthouse addresses, making the call appear authentic.
Examples and advice: Owens said another common scam is a text claiming unpaid tolls with a link that steals personal and credit‑card information. He reiterated that the sheriff’s office and the prosecutor’s office will not call to demand money. “We would never call and ask for money, first and foremost,” he said, and he urged residents to hang up if a caller asks for payment or gift cards.
What the sheriff’s office is doing: Owens said the office issues public‑service announcements, posts fraud alerts on the Cobb County Sheriff’s mobile app and is coordinating with federal partners to trace spoofed numbers. “We’re actively pursuing them and working with our federal authorities to help us pull some information up so we can actually go ahead and make arrests on individuals doing these things,” he said, adding that some calls originate overseas and others can be traced to correctional facilities.
Discussion vs. decision: Remarks were informational; no policies or ordinances were proposed. Owens described operational practices (app alerts, public education) and investigative collaboration with federal agencies.
Ending: Owens and Solicitor General Mackie Metzger urged residents to stay calm if they receive threatening or urgent calls, verify by calling 911 or the relevant agency directly, and never pay via gift cards or wire transfers.
