(RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn.) The scam involving a caller telling area residents they missed a court date continues in Rutherford and Bedford Counties.

In recent incidents that the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of, a caller phones the victim claiming to have knowledge of a missed court date or an outstanding warrant. The caller then goes on to say that if you don’t pay the fines or fees associated with the court case or warrant, you will be arrested.

In several cases, the unknown caller claims to be with the Rutherford or Bedford County Sheriff’s Office. Be advised the sheriff’s office will never ask you for money or ask that you pay a fine for such things.

Past Scams - This past July, Murfreesboro Police Department Criminal Investigations Division (CID) fraud detectives warned residents about a caller who tells potential victims they are part of the Mexican cartel. The caller then threatens harm to residents and their families ‘IF’ they don’t pay a fee.

The callers, representing themselves as members of different Mexican cartels, will typically call or send threatening text messages sometimes including gruesome photos of dismembered bodies to frighten residents into sending money or else be killed.  The messages are mostly written in Spanish.

The callers tell the victims to send money via banking apps, gift cards, or other forms of non-traceable transfers. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be with a Mexican cartel and demanding money, you should consider the following:

- Don’t panic
- Hang up and block the phone number
- Do not reply to the threatening text messages
- Call police

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