In the dizzying realm of scams, our favorite scheme has risen from the ashes yet again—because why let a good fraud die? The not-so-exciting news for local listeners is that we’ve been updating you on this particular scam weekly for almost two years, which can only mean one thing: the scammers are still hard at work. Who knew crime could be so persistent?

Earlier this month, we reported on a genius scam using the name of Rutherford County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Keith Lowery. That brilliant scam involved someone calling citizens, phishing for tears and money while threatening to impose a nonexistent fine. Thankfully, one potential victim dodged a bullet when she decided to consult the oracle—also known as her mother. Mom quickly rang up the real Sheriff’s Office, where—surprise, surprise—Deputy Lowery confirmed he had better things to do than scare innocent folks about court dates they never had.

Fast forward to this week, and we find ourselves in the same farcical theatre but with a different cast: this time, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Department is being used as bait. Yes, the con artists are at it again, donning badges and bad acting skills as they phone unsuspecting victims, claiming there’s an active warrant because they skipped a fictitious court date. Ah, the drama!

What really sends jitters down those unfortunate souls’ spines is the threat of incarceration—over a court date that exists only in the scammer’s imagination. And the soothing balm? A phone call where they can pay a fee to avoid being thrown behind bars! These charming thieves wield fear like a magician at a kids' party, offering “help” to secure victims’ bank accounts with the classic “good cop/bad cop” routine.

In reality, potential jurors aren’t hounded on the phone. Instead, they receive an official summons and must complete a form within ten days. Yes, jury duty comes with rules—no one is going to threaten you with prison over your missed coffee chat with the court.

In this latest iteration of the scam, callers are downright bold, saying that if you fork over a fee, you’ll magically nullify your “active warrant.” The finesse doesn’t stop there; they even take payments through Venmo or CashApp or, oh joy, gift cards! Because nothing screams “legitimate transaction” like a grocery store run for a sweet credit card gift card so you can call in and read them the security code. The audacity!

The Coffee County Sheriff’s Office is here to clear things up: “This is a scam; we won’t be calling you about warrants.” Shocking, isn’t it? They also remind everyone that giving out personal information to random callers is not advisable—brilliant advice that might just save you some cash.

Here’s a fun fact: law enforcement in Rutherford County doesn’t call people to inform them of missed court appearances, nor do they demand cash, cryptocurrency, or anything dodgy. If you ever find yourself on the receiving end of these theatrical calls, just do the adult thing: hit the big red “end call” button.

If you or someone you know falls for this nonsense, please let your local law enforcement know. Because someone needs to keep track of all the hilarity.

• In Rutherford County, the courts have a “Jury Instruction Line”that can be called at 615-907-3566. You can also learn more about jury duty in Rutherford County by visiting the county’s website, or CLICK HERE.
• Read more about some of the many scams to hit our area in recent weeks, months and years by Clicking HERE.