Scammer Claiming To Be Pinellas Sheriff's Official Preys On Residents

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is asking the public to be on alert to a recent phone scam occurring in Pinellas County.

A person is calling residents in Pinellas County and identifying himself as a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office employee. According to deputies, the man has been leaving residents a voicemail identifying himself as Sgt. Christopher Hill, requesting the resident call him back.

Once the residents calls the phone number back, they are transferred to another man identifying himself as Lt. Paul Ellison with the sheriff's office and tells the resident there's an outstanding warrant for his or her arrest.

The man then instructs the resident to send money via Bitcoin and Zelle to take care of the warrant.

Deputies say the man is calling from the following local number: 727-354-4454 and possibly spoofing their number to appear as 727-582-6200, the main phone number for the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will never call residents requesting money over the telephone.

The sheriff's office warns residents not to give personal information or account information over the phone and call the sheriff's office to report suspicious activity.

Anyone who has information on this scam or has become a victim should call the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office at 727-582-6200.