Watch Out For Fake Deputies Asking For Money

Scammers of all kinds continue to find victims and rob them of their hard-earned money. And some are continuing to become more sophisticated as time goes on.

On January 12, 2026, the Broome County Sheriff's Office released a notice that scammers are back, impersonating detectives and deputies. The scammers have been contacting Broome County residents with the intention of soliciting money and gift cards from unsuspecting victims.

So far in 2026, according to the Sheriff's office, they have received several new reports from residents of Broome County, who have indicated they received phone calls from scammers disguising themselves pretending to be detectives or deputies.

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These scammers tell the victim things like their children have been arrested and require bail money paid electronically, or that the victim missed their court appearances and are threatened with warrants for arrest or thousands of dollars in fines.

Furthermore, these scammers try to instill fear by telling the victim not to inform anyone of the call, which, as they say, is a recorded line. If the victim remains on the line, the scammer will request payment in the form of credit card information or other means

The Broome County Sheriff's Office reminds residents to never provide credit card or other payment information over the phone to anyone claiming to be law enforcement. Simply terminate the call. Don't give the scammer any information.

Don’t be fooled, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office will never ask for credit card information or any form of payment over the phone. If you believe you’ve received a scam phone call, please contact the Sheriff’s Office so a report can be filed. - Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar

The Broome County Sheriff's Office urges residents who receive any scam call to contact them at 607-778-1911.

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