STEUBEN COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM) – The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office is warning the community of another gift card/deputy-impersonation scam targeting the phones of locals.

According to Sheriff Jim Allard, the department got the report of the scam on May 31, 2023 that said two people received a call from someone claiming to be Sergeant Matt Sorge with the Sheriff’s Office. Caller ID also showed “Steuben Sheriff”, Allard said.

The scammer then said the people missed court appearances and needed to send gift cards to a specific address to avoid punishment.

As with every other gift card scam, the Sheriff’s Office reminded residents that it will never request direct payment (including wire transfers or gift cards) from someone in place of criminal punishment.

“ANYTIME ELECTRONIC MONEY TRANSFERS OR GIFT CARDS ARE REQUESTED IN LIEU OF APPREHENSION IT IS SURELY A SCAM!!!!”, the Sheriff’s Office’s announcement said. “Please do not fall prey to these unscrupulous and predatory activities.”

Anyone who sees an attempted scam like this should report it to their local law enforcement or to the FBI via ic3.gov.