News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Lakeland Police Department have recently received reports from citizens regarding telephone scams during which callers represent themselves as either Social Security Office employees or members of the Lakeland Police Department. These scammers are using "spoofed" phone numbers (phone numbers that when displayed on your caller id appear as if the Lakeland Police Department or other agency is the actual caller).

During the call, the scammer will tell the person who answers the phone that their social security number has been stolen and/or linked to a crime. The scammer then advises the person on the phone they have a warrant for their arrest and to resolve it they need to obtain a gift card (from places such as Google Play or Ebay). Sometimes the scammer requests this payment in Bitcoin ATMs such as Bitcoin Depot. 

"'Spoofing' call numbers is just another trick scammers use to take advantage of good, hard-working people. Please alert your family members, especially elderly ones who are more prone to being taken advantage of, that law enforcement agencies do not call residents asking for money." - Grady Judd, Sheriff

PCSO reminds residents that our main number is 863-298-6200, and that law enforcement NEVER solicits money to rectify warrants. Law Enforcement will never threaten to repossess property for noncompliance. The United States Social Security Office will not call to inform you that your identity was used for a criminal investigation. Please do not give your personal information to anyone over the phone. If you are speaking with an organization you already do business with, that organization will already have your information. Verify everything, to include using an outside source to fact check the phone numbers of the agencies calling you. Do not send gift cards, Bitcoin ATMs, or prepaid money cards to strangers.

Social Security and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) take these scams very seriously. They do everything they can to stop the perpetrators and educate the public. To report suspicious activity, please call the OIG Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call the OIG TTY number at 1-866-501-2101.) A Public Fraud Reporting form is also available online at OIG's website here https://secure.ssa.gov/pfrf/home. 

A good practice is to ask the caller for a number where you can call them back. Then call your local law enforcement to report the suspected scam.

Please call our main number to verify the legitimacy of any call you receive from PCSO.

Please call the Lakeland Police Department at 863-834-6900 to verify the legitimacy of any call you receive from LPD.

You can find more information on how to protect yourself from scams and other fraud on the PCSO website here https://www.polksheriff.org/news-investigations/scam-reporting.