Lee County woman gets fake deputy scam call while at work

A Lee County woman avoided falling victim to a scam involving fraudsters impersonating Lee County deputies, a scheme that has been targeting residents across the Gulf Coast. Jade Harvey said she received a call at work from someone claiming to be a Lee County sheriff’s deputy. “Instantly, I’m like, everything I’ve ever done wrong in my life, I’m a—what am I in trouble for?” Harvey said. The scam, which has been reported across the area, involves con artists pretending to be law enforcement officers and using threats of arrest over missed jury duty to steal money. “Lee County sheriff’s officer on the phone that needs to speak with you. And I was like, oh my God, what did I do?” Harvey said. Harvey’s coworkers and clients quickly recognized the scam and warned her, prompting her to hang up and call 911. “If I was not here with my coworkers because they were all like, no, I would have probably, like at least got in my car and then called the sheriff’s office,” Harvey said. According to authorities, the scammers often try to keep victims on the phone, instructing them to go to a so-called “sheriff-approved” ATM to purchase a money voucher. Victims are then asked to read the voucher number aloud, allowing the scammers to steal the funds. “There are absolutely no sheriff-approved ATMs,” said Trish Routte of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office Crime Stoppers. “Any time you’ve actually got a problem with law enforcement, whether you’ve got a warrant or some kind of a citation, you are never, ever, ever going to be asked to, hey, meet me at the ATM.” Harvey is now sharing her experience on social media to raise awareness about the scam, which authorities say can target anyone. “They’re just making the calls and making the contact, hoping to get somebody, whether you’re 20 or you’re 80, somebody that’s going to go, oh my gosh, I’ve got a warrant, I need to make this go away,” Routte said. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office emphasized that it does not collect payments for fines or fees, which are handled by the county. 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.