Florida ranks 3rd in scam losses; Collier Sheriff issues alert

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. - Scammers are at it again, this time impersonating the Collier County Sheriff's Office.

Detective Jacob Parmenter warns that if you see the sheriff's office on your caller ID, it might not be real.

"It's hard a lot of times, sometimes you'll get that notification on your iPhone, it says scam likely or scam and that'll tell you, you know, the number hasn't been verified and that's a solid indicator that it's going to be a scam," said Parmenter.

These scammers are after your personal information, aiming to commit identity fraud or access your money. They might even try to apply for credit cards or loans in your name.

"The Collier County Sheriff's Office, no law enforcement agency in Florida is ever going to call you and ask you to give money. They're never going to call you and tell you that you have a warrant," said Parmenter.

If you receive such a call, experts recommend ignoring it or hanging up. You can verify the legitimacy by looking up the sheriff's office number and calling them directly.

Law enforcement officials emphasize they will not call like a debt collector, threaten arrest over the phone, or demand payment via third-party apps.

In 2024, Florida ranked third in scams reported and in losses. The 2025 numbers are yet to be released, but expectations are that they will be worse.

Residents are advised to slow down before acting on any suspicious calls, texts, or emails. Delete them if in doubt and remember that anyone asking for payment via gift card is likely a scammer.