RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS News) – On Sunday afternoon (1/18/2026) a local bar was scammed out more than $1,700. Officials told WGNS News that after a caller purported to be Fire Marshal Martin Martinez and claimed the business owed an immediate fine. According to a report filed by Rutherford County Sheriff’s Deputy Malia Porto, the scammer convinced an employee to pay $580 through a bitcoin ATM and another $1,126 through MoneyGram.

Rutherford County Fire-Rescue’s Fire Marshal Josh Sanders stressed that his office never handles payments this way.

He explained, “All legitimate permitting fees are processed through the county’s official online portal or through Building Codes—not over the phone, not through third‑party apps, and certainly not through cryptocurrency.”

Scammers are increasingly steering victims toward bitcoin ATMs, MoneyGram transfers, and gift cards—anything fast, irreversible, and untraceable.

Sanders concluded, “Furthermore, Rutherford County Fire Marshal’s Office will not request or accept cryptocurrencies.”

The scam mirrors a growing trend hitting small businesses across the country. Police in several jurisdictions have said the solvability of these cases is “about zero per cent” once the money leaves the machine.

Locally, investigators say the scam works because it preys on fear and urgency. The caller sounds authoritative. The situation feels high‑stakes. Employees, often young, new, or working alone—don’t want to be responsible for a shutdown or a fine. Scammers know exactly how to push those buttons.

Fire Marshal Sanders hopes this latest case serves as a reminder that county officials will never demand payment over the phone. Anyone who receives such a call should simply hang up and immediately contact the Fire Marshal’s Office or the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.