Park County Sheriff’s Office Using Posters to “Stop the Scams”

Park County law enforcement wants to ensure no residents are scammed by scammers, so they’ve created a handy guide to “stop the scams.”

Many different scams have been popping up in Park County over the last year. Scammers have been posing as anything from contact tracers, cities threatening utility cutoffs and law enforcement threatening arrest and imprisonment.

The good news is that most scams have tell-tale signs that show their falsehood. By recognizing these patterns, citizens of Cody and Powell can save time and money by not getting wrapped in, even for a moment.

To avoid getting scammed, question the caller and the call – and luckily, the questions to ponder are all provided by the Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Cody and Powell Police Departments.

All the questions stem from two main concepts – what a caller is doing and what they’re asking (or threatening) you to do.

Did the caller:

• Contact you out of the blue?
• Request money, gift cards, checks, or cash?
• Ask personal questions or ask for personal information?
• Ask for a donation?
• Tell you someone’s life or well-being is at stake.

And, perhaps most important, did the caller tell you not to tell anyone else?

The next step is questioning their methods – how they are trying to separate you from your money.

Is the caller:

• Talking very fast and not letting you speak?
• Being vague or secretive?
• Demanding immediate action?
• Threatening you with arrest or consequences?
• Claiming you won a contest, you didn’t – or don’t remember – entering

Also – does it sound too good to be true? Because chances are it is.

Courtesy Park County Sheriff’s Office

These tips will help you avoid getting scammed – but the key to stopping scams is being and staying aware and seeking help when you need it.

If you have been scammed – or suspected you’ve gotten a fraudulent call – call a family member, friend, or known community resource for help. And all city business should be conducted thru official city resources – like City Hall or their websites.

Furthermore, gift cards and green dot cards are never accepted to pay a city fine or warrant. No legitimate city or county entity will request payment in those forms.

Sometimes, the simplest ways are best. If a scammer calls claiming to be law enforcement, a local utility, or a business? Hang up, and call that entity’s official known number to clarify who – if anyone – called.

All scams can be reported to any local law enforcement. That way, they’ll know the latest scams and can be on alert.

• Cody Police Department 
• Powell Police Department
• Park County Sheriff’s Office