08/28/2026
๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ฃ-๐จ๐ฃ โ ๐๐จ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ด, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐
Well, Gilmer County, we have once again made it to Friday.โ
This week brought us scammers, a mysterious explosion, a missing $320 trash can, a tow-yard disagreement, a concerning report from a rental cabin and $9 worth of missing Temu cookware.
โSo basically... a little something for everybody.
๐โLet's get into it.โ
๐ณ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐ก๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง: ๐ช๐๐ข ๐ง๐ข๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ $๐ต ๐ฃ๐ข๐ง๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฆ?โ
A woman reported that a Temu package delivered to her residence had disappeared.โ
The contents?โ
A ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐
๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ $๐ต.โ
She believed either her landlord or another individual may have taken the package and also reported concerns about her mail being opened.โ
A report was taken.โ
And yes...โ$๐ต.โ
We don't know how many pots and pans you get for $9 on Temu, but now we're curious.
๐โEither way, don't take other people's packages.โ
๐น ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ง ๐ข๐ก๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ก'๐ง ๐๐จ๐ก๐ก๐ฌ...โ
A woman contacted our office after a recent stay at a rental cabin in Gilmer County and reported finding what she believed to be a ๐ต๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น-๐บ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐
.โ
According to the complainant, the device was positioned toward the kitchen and living room area, and she believed it had been recording during her stay.โ
She reported the matter to the rental company and later contacted our office.โ
A report was taken.
โIf you're staying in a hotel, vacation rental or other property and discover something you believe may be an unlawfully placed recording device, don't destroy or tamper with it. Document what you can and contact law enforcement.โ
๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ก... ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ช๐๐ก๐ง ๐๐ข๐ข๐ .โ
Monday evening, a resident called after hearing what he described as an ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ.โ
He told the deputy that the same thing had happened earlier this month at approximately the same time of evening.
โSeveral neighbors in the surrounding area reportedly heard it, too.โ
A deputy checked Mulberry Road and the surrounding area trying to locate the source.โ
Nothing.โ
No obvious explosion.โ
No smoking crater.โ
No Wile E. Coyote standing beside an ACME box.โ
Just...โ๐๐ข๐ข๐ .
๐ฅโExtra patrols were requested, and the incident was documented.
โSo if you were around the Mulberry Road/Conasauga Road area Monday evening and happen to know what went ๐๐๐๐ข๐ข๐ ...โWe're curious, too. ๐
๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ฅ โ ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ช๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐๐โ
Unfortunately, we took several fraud reports this week, and they ranged from a few hundred dollars to potentially devastating financial losses.โ
So we're putting them together because there's a lesson in every single one.โ
๐ ๐๐ข๐๐ข ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐. ๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐ฌ.โ
A gentleman came to the courthouse after realizing that a woman he'd developed an online relationship with probably wasn't who she claimed to be.
โ"Jojo" told him she owned a farm in North Dakota, had lost her husband in a car accident and, eventually, needed help buying a tractor tire.โ
And naturally, the preferred method of purchasing tractor tires in North Dakota was...โ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ. ๐
โHe purchased a $๐ฏ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ before his daughter noticed the transaction and told him he'd likely been scammed.โ
While he was sitting at the courthouse completing his statement, "Jojo" actually ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ต๐ถ๐บ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ.โ
A deputy listened while the caller tried to keep the conversation going.
Meanwhile, the deputy had found videos of the actual woman whose identity appeared to be getting used โ including, rather appropriately, a video warning people about scammers.โ
When the deputy asked the caller for her name...โ๐๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ.
โCall over. ๐
โFolks, Apple gift cards do not pay bonds, settle government fines, fix emergencies or apparently buy tractor tires.
โIf your new internet friend wants gift cards, ๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ.โ
๐ป ๐ง๐๐๐ก ๐ช๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ง ๐ง๐๐๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ง...โ
Another woman reported that someone had apparently gained access to several of her online and financial accounts, including her email and credit cards, and had allegedly used her Social Security number to apply for additional credit.โ
Then she received an email that appeared to come ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฑ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ demanding $๐ฑ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป and threatening to release compromising photos and videos if she didn't pay.โ
She contacted her financial institutions and had the affected accounts locked.โ
Please remember: Fear, embarrassment and urgency are tools scammers use to make you react before you think.
โDon't pay them. Don't click their links. Secure your accounts, change compromised passwords and contact your financial institutions.โ
Also...โIf your Netflix password, email password and banking password are all the same password you've been using since 2007 because "nobody will ever guess it"...โ
๐ง๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ณ๐ถ๐
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐. ๐ฌโ
๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ ๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐ช๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ.โOur final scam report isn't funny.โ
A woman reported developing an online romantic relationship with a man who told her he was receiving bone marrow treatment at a cancer treatment hospital.โ
Over time, money entered the picture.โ
According to the report, he sent her checks and convinced her that she had been added to the account. He instructed her to write large checks to herself, deposit them into her bank account and then send the money to him through cryptocurrency.โ
She did.โ
He later gained access information to her retirement account and convinced her to transfer additional money through cryptocurrency.โEventually, another large check was deposited and initially appeared to clear.โ
It was later determined to have been altered and was reversed.โ
And then?
โ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ณ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ.โ
The communication stopped.โ
This is why we keep beating this drum.โ
Romance scammers build relationships. They gain trust. They create emergencies. They may spend weeks or months convincing someone that the relationship is real before the money requests begin.โ
๐ฉ Checks you're asked to deposit for someone else
๐ฉ Cryptocurrency
๐ฉ Gift cards
๐ฉ Requests for passwords or account access
๐ฉ Sudden illnesses, emergencies or financial problems
๐ฉ Money that needs to be moved through ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ account
โPlease talk to your parents, grandparents, widowed family members and anyone else who may be vulnerable to this type of manipulation.โ
Being intelligent doesn't make someone immune to a scam. These people make a living learning how to gain someone's trust.
โIf an online relationship suddenly involves ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐, ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐, ๐ด๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐, ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐'๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ โ ๐ฆ๐ง๐ข๐ฃ.โ
Call somebody you trust before you send another dime.
๐๏ธ ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ. ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ ๐ง๐ข๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก, ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐!!!!โ
We needed a change of subject.โ
Tuesday afternoon, a deputy took a report from a man who discovered his ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ-๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐.โ
And before you ask...โ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐. ๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ. ๐ป๐
โThe owner had already checked his property and the tree line to make sure an ambitious North Georgia bear hadn't simply relocated it.โ
No trash can.โ
He has cameras.โ
Naturally, they didn't record the night the trash can disappeared.โBecause of course they didn't. ๐โ
The missing can is approximately 4 feet tall, 3 feet wide, gray with a black lid and valued at approximately...โ$๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฌ.โ๐ณโ
This is apparently the Cadillac of trash cans.โ
So if you borrowed it, accidentally acquired it or woke up Wednesday morning wondering why you suddenly own a luxury bear-proof garbage receptacle...โ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐. ๐
๐๏ธโAnd if a bear actually managed to haul off a $320 bear-proof trash can...โWe may owe the bear an apology for underestimating him. ๐ปโ
๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง'๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฌ ๐ช๐๐๐'๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ!
โFriday morning, deputies responded to a local towing company after a man arrived wanting to pick up his wife's vehicle.โ
There was one problem.โ
๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ป'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ.โ
The towing company explained that the registered owner would need to come pick up the vehicle.โ
He left.โ
Then he came back.โ
And apparently decided the next logical step was to stand outside the business yelling and cursing.โ
For those wondering, this did not cause his name to magically appear on the vehicle registration. ๐โ
The business requested that he be removed from the property, and a deputy issued him a ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ถ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด.โ
Here's your helpful Friday information:โ
A towing company cannot simply hand over a vehicle to whoever shows up and says, "That's my wife's car."โ
There are requirements they have to follow before releasing a vehicle.โ
Getting mad doesn't change them.โ
Yelling doesn't change them.โ
Cussing ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฑ๐น๐ doesn't change them.โ
And getting yourself trespassed from the tow yard for a year?โ
๐๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐๐ป'๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฟ. ๐โ
Sometimes the simplest solution really is:โ
๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ.โ
๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ช ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข ๐ก๐๐ช๐ฆ ๐ช๐'๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ ๐ข๐...โMembers of our HR staff attended a ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ท๐ผ๐ฏ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ this week alongside more than 25 employers from both the public and private sectors.โ
Before leaving the fair, students were asked to vote for the employer with whom they had the ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ.โ
Guess who they picked?โ
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐จ๐ก๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐'๐ฆ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐! ๐๐
โGCSO was named ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ!โ
We're not saying we're competitive...โOkay. Maybe we're a ๐ญ๐ช๐ต๐ต๐ญ๐ฆ competitive. ๐
โBut this one means a lot because the recognition came directly from the students who stopped by, talked with our representatives and learned more about opportunities with our agency.
โWe're proud of our folks for representing the Sheriff's Office โ and Gilmer County โ so well!โ
๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ง...โLast Friday was ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ at the Gilmer High School football game, and members of the ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ were proud to participate in the evening's activities. ๐บ๐ธโ
We've included a few photos from the night, and while we're talking football...โCongratulations to the ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐! ๐๐พโ
๐ช๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ข, ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ!โ
๐โ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฌ๐ด ๐ต๐ฐ ๐๐ณ๐บ๐ข๐ฏ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ช๐ฐ๐ต๐ต ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ตโ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐ข๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ช๐ค๐ด! ๐ธโ
But now it's Friday again.โ
And tonight things get a little more interesting.
๐โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐. ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ก.โ
The Bobcats take on the rival Fannin County Rebels ๐ง๐ข๐ก๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ:๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ฝ.๐บ., and it's also ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ & ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ก๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐!โ
Come out, support our local kids and fill those stands! ๐โ
We love our neighbors up Highway 515.โ
We really do.โ
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐น๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ณ:๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐. ๐โ๐๐พ
๐๐ข ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ง๐ฆ! ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ก!โ
And with that, we're wrapping up another week in Gilmer County.โ
Keep your passwords secure, don't send cryptocurrency to your internet boyfriend, don't buy tractor tires with Apple gift cards, don't take other people's packages, and for goodness' sake...โ๐๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐. ๐โ
Have a safe weekend, Gilmer County! ๐๐โ
๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐ณ'๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ
Non-emergency: ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ฒ-๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฑ-๐ด๐ต๐ญ๐ญ
๐จ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ต๐ญ๐ญ.
โRemember: Social media comments and messages are ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด. If you need law enforcement assistance, call us.
โ
