HCSO Phone Scam Warning Tampa - How to Protect Yourself

How the Scam Works

Scammers are using highly aggressive tactics to impersonate law enforcement and trick victims into giving them money:

• The Setup: Victims receive a call from someone claiming to be an HCSO employee, who then transfers the call to a fake "deputy" to build credibility.
• The Scare Tactics: The scammers claim the victim has an active arrest warrant, missed a recent court date or jury duty, or that a family member is in immediate trouble.
• The Pressure: Criminals spoof their caller ID to make it look like the official Sheriff’s Office is calling. They force the victim to stay on the line and demand immediate payment via cash, gift cards, payment apps, or wire transfers.

In a recent close call, a 24-year-old local resident was nearly defrauded after being instructed to withdraw money from a gas station ATM. Fortunately, the alert business owner recognized the scam and intervened before any money was lost.

Official Guidance from HCSO

Sheriff Chad Chronister reminded the community that the Sheriff's Office will never call to collect money or ask for payment over the phone to resolve a warrant or legal issue.

If you receive a suspicious call:

1. Hang up immediately. Do not give out personal or financial information.
2. Verify independently. Call the agency back directly at a publicly listed, official number that you look up yourself.

You can read the full official warning on the HCSO Press Release Page. If you believe you have been targeted, report the incident to the official HCSO non-emergency line at 813-247-8200.