09/14/2026
Mahoning County Sheriff's Office Warns Public of Telephone Scams
Sheriff Jerry Greene is once again alerting the community to be wary of telephone scams that continue to victimize local people in the area. In one recent instance, a Canfield resident reported having received a call “spoofing” the main number of the Sheriff’s Office. The victim said the suspect claimed to be a Sheriff’s employee who had a federal District Court warrant for their arrest. At one point in the conversation, the victim says they even received a text message showing a realistic likeness of a court document. The suspect demanded the victim stay on the line with him until they arrived at a local bitcoin kiosk, and transferred thousands of dollars into another account.
Detectives stress residents will never receive calls warning them of “warrants” for their arrest, that authorities will never demand money, gift cards or bitcoin over the phone to resolve the issue, and will never demand victims remain on the line until transactions have been completed.
Here are some tips to help becoming another scam victim:
· - Hang up on unexpected requests, especially those demanding money.
· - Do not respond or reply to provided contact information -- it’s likely to be fake.
· - Avoid clicking links in random email or text messages.
· - Refuse irregular payment demands, such as bitcoin or gift cards.
· - Never send money to someone you have not met face-to-face.
Phone numbers often used and given in these scams are not traceable numbers, therefore, other than educating the public about these situations, there is little law enforcement can do after you’ve been victimized. Please be aware and do not permit these scammers to prey on our community.
