Howard County Sheriff's Office reports ongoing scam

Monday, July 28, 2025 at 6:10 PM

By Staff report

The Howard County Sheriff's Office received several reports about a new phone scam that is both aggressive and highly convincing.
In these cases, callers claim the person has outstanding warrants for failing to appear for jury duty. One victim was even told that deputies were on the way to arrest them, but that they could avoid jail by paying $5,000. The scammer did not specify how the payment should be made.
Another caller reported a man claiming to be “Jason Rivard with the Howard County Sheriff’s Department.” The caller sounded professional and provided a callback number: (765) 416-3644. When called, the number connects to a fake phone tree that mimics the sheriff's office real phone system and allows you to leave a voicemail. This setup is particularly concerning because it adds a false sense of legitimacy and may trick someone into sending money.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Office will never call and demand payment over the phone for jury duty, warrants, taxes, or donations. If someone contacts you making these claims, hang up and call the sheriff's office directly.
If you receive a scam call like this, report it by calling 765-457-1105. Sharing this information helps protect others.