08/17/2026
SCAM ALERT — CALLERS IMPERSONATING TREMPEALEAU COUNTY DEPUTIES
The Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about a scam involving individuals impersonating law enforcement officers and requesting money in exchange for the release of an inmate.
The Sheriff’s Office recently received a report from a concerned citizen who was contacted repeatedly by an individual identifying himself as a deputy with the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office.
The caller claimed that the victim’s son could be released from the Trempealeau County Jail on electronic monitoring if she sent two $500 payments, totaling $1,000, to an individual using a barcode-based payment method.
The caller demonstrated knowledge of the victim’s son’s name, which made the request appear legitimate. However, information such as inmate names can be obtained through the public jail roster and other publicly available sources.
DO NOT SEND MONEY.
The Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office will never require you to send money through a barcode, gift card, cryptocurrency, money-transfer service, or similar payment method in order to release an inmate or arrange electronic monitoring.
If you receive a call like this:
STOP. HANG UP. VERIFY.
Do not provide personal or financial information.
Do not send money or purchase payment cards.
Do not follow payment instructions provided by the caller.
Do not rely on caller ID to verify the person’s identity.
Contact the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office directly at 715-538-4351 to verify any claim involving an inmate.
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, report it to local law enforcement and your financial institution as soon as possible.
Please share this information with family members, friends, and especially anyone who may be vulnerable to telephone scams.
When in doubt, hang up and independently verify.
