Jaylen Baron
•9/1/2026
A Cape Coral woman is warning others after receiving a phone call from someone impersonating the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to scam her. “I thought that was odd. You know, I don't I didn't quite understand. I think my main concern when I took it to TikTok is protecting our elders of the community that will give information over the phone because they sounded so legitimate,” Kathy Lester said. Lester said the caller claimed she had two citations for missing jury selection for a federal trial and instructed her to pay a fine over the phone using a debit card, not a credit card. She declined to make the payment and went directly to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, where she learned the call was a scam. Feeling compelled to share her experience, Lester posted about the incident on TikTok, where her video received over 48,000 views. Many commenters shared similar experiences. “Until you are. And I just really wanted people to know because I think it's important to get it out there, let people know about it. If you don't talk about it and you're embarrassed, you're not saving the next person from it,” Lester said. John Joyce, CEO of CRS Technology Consultants, explained how scammers often establish trust by claiming to represent trusted entities. “So they're going to look to establish trust. I'm with the police department. I'm with the IRS. I'm with somebody that you're supposed to trust. Right? We're supposed to trust our government. Trust our police department, police departments. Once they establish that trust, there's going to be a call to action,” Joyce said. Joyce also reminded people that legitimate agencies, including the sheriff’s office, government offices, and FDOT, send citations through mail rather than phone calls or text messages. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.
