Cochise County sheriff urges residents to hang up on phone scams, warns of inhalant 'dusting' trend

Sheriff Mark Dannels of Cochise County warned residents during a June 18 broadcast to ignore unsolicited calls and not to pay money to callers demanding action, citing a recent local loss of $4,000 to a phone scam.

"Just hang up the phone. Don't fall for that," Dannels said, adding that callers can be highly persuasive and that "once that 4,000 is gone, it is gone in 99 percent of the cases." He urged people who think they may have a warrant to contact the courts rather than comply with payment demands over the phone: "If you have knowledge there's a warrant... go to the courts and you can settle it."

The sheriff's office described the scam pattern as calls that appear to come from legitimate agencies (including spoofed numbers for U.S. Border Patrol and local police) and warned that answering a call can trigger more automated calls. Dannels advised residents to let unknown callers leave a message and to call local law enforcement to verify any claim rather than sending money.

Dannels also warned parents about a social‑media‑linked inhalant trend he called "dusting," identifying inhalation of compressed air dusters used for cleaning keyboards as the behavior. "It makes carbon dioxide replace the oxygen in your body. It ruins your... liver, your kidneys, your lungs," he said, and cited the death of a 19‑year‑old Tempe student in a related incident. He urged families to supervise device use and have conversations with children about online trends.

The sheriff framed both issues as preventable harms and said the office will assist residents who call to verify claims. "If you call the sheriff's, hey, I'm checking to see if I have a warrant. It will work with you. We'll work with you," Dannels said.

Discussion only: Dannels discussed the patterns and scale of scams and social‑media trends and urged education and verification steps. Direction: He advised residents to contact courts or law enforcement to verify warrants and crimes. Formal action: none announced.

Clarifying details: the office reported one local victim lost $4,000 to a scam; a Tempe 19‑year‑old died after inhalant use; callers sometimes spoof numbers for legitimate agencies; the sheriff said courts can quash fines "9 times out of 10" when people address them directly.

Ending: The sheriff repeated the simple guidance to residents: hang up on suspicious calls, verify warrants with courts, and speak with children about dangerous online trends.