Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre is warning citizens of a warrant scam which is again targeting our area. Several citizens reportedly received similar scam calls over the past few days.

In this version of this scam, the caller poses as a deputy or ranking member of the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office and knows personal information about the victim. In some instances, the call appears to originate from a legitimate Sheriff’s Office number. The caller informs the victim that he or she has an active arrest warrant and must pay immediately by a prepaid debit card, electronic money order, or gift card to avoid arrest.

LPSO does attempt to notify individuals when fees and fines are due, but those individuals are directed to pay via our website at www.LPSO.net or in person at our office. In the event you would choose to pay a fine or ticket by phone, only a credit or debit card would be accepted. Prepaid debit cards, electronic money orders, and gift cards would not be acceptable forms of payment. If you fail to pay a fine or show up for court, and a warrant is issued for your arrest, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office would not call demanding payment. You can also verify warrants and certain fines due on the LPSO website.

“As technology improves, these scams have become more sophisticated,” said Sheriff Webre. “Still, all the usual signs of a scam are still present, and we want citizens to become familiar with these tactics.”

Like every scam, this one contains aspects of reality as well as typical signs of a scam. The demand for “immediate” payment by an incoming caller and the payment method (prepaid debit card, electronic money order, or gift card) are two signs this is a scam.

Other signs of a scam could include a caller asking you to send money to receive money or prizes, a caller using threatening or vulgar language, or someone calling from a department, but not giving the name of the company.

Ultimately, if you are concerned the call may be legitimate, simply hang up and call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office at (985) 532-2808. Do not call a number given to you by the incoming caller unless you verify it first. We encourage you to call the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office BEFORE you send money if you have any doubt about the authenticity of any call. We would be happy to assist you to ensure you do not become the next scam victim. It is not necessary to report every phone scam, but if you lose money in a scam or receive threats of physical harm or violence, you should report it to the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency.