Phone scams circulating in Northeast Arkansas

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Scammers finessed nearly $10,000 from a Jonesboro resident via Bitcoin.

People are getting phone calls from people acting like utility company workers and law enforcement officers.

Sergeant Chad Hoggard with the Jonesboro Police Department said a Jonesboro woman filed a police report on Wednesday, Jan. 17. He said she received a call from someone claiming they worked with the Craighead County Sheriff’s Department.

Hoggard said the impersonator told the woman she had a warrant out for her arrest.

He said the woman fell for the scam and lost thousands of dollars.

“In the report, we got last night, a woman was scammed out of 95-hundred dollars,” Hoggard said.

Hoggard said the impersonator told the woman “if she didn’t want to go to jail,” she could pay a fine in Bitcoin. Hoggard said the woman sent the funds through a Bitcoin machine inside Kroger Marketplace, 1725 S. Caraway Road.

The sergeant said cryptocurrency is commonly requested by impersonators because it’s hard to trace.

“Because once you put [money] in the machine and send it to them, it’s gone and you can’t get it back,” Hoggard said.

Another kind of scam is also taking place throughout the state and in Region 8.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued a consumer alert Wednesday, Jan. 17 stating, “Imposters threaten to shut off utility service if the consumer doesn’t immediately pay a past due amount.”

Slade Mitchell with City Water and Light said the utility company has received a few calls regarding the issue within the past few weeks.

“There really aren’t any situations where we would call someone and demand payment immediately,” he said.

Both Mitchell and Hoggard said if you are unsure who exactly you’re speaking with, give the correct people a phone call.

“We’ll certainly line out what your account status is,” Mitchell said. “We’re happy to answer any questions you have.”

“Call that police department and ask to talk to that officer and see if they called you,” Hoggard said. “Most of the time they had not.”

If you find yourself scammed and out of money, Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin recommends filing a complaint with the attorney general’s office immediately.