December 3, 2024: John M. Formella, Attorney General
Attorney General John M. Formella announces a recent rise in reports of scammers impersonating the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office (“RCSO”) in order to trick people into paying money to avoid an imminent arrest.
The Attorney General’s Office and RCSO have received several reports of scammers calling individuals, claiming that the person missed a court appearance and now faces a warrant for their arrest. The scammers falsely claim that a judge issued the warrant and use the name of a real New Hampshire judge to make the scam seem credible. They further deceive victims by sending fake proof that the person received and signed a notice about the court appearance, including a doctored image of a Registered Mail Receipt (see example attached).
Key points to remember:
- Law enforcement agencies will never ask for immediate payment to avoid arrest.
- Any unsolicited call, text, or email demanding money in exchange for avoiding arrest is a scam.
- Law enforcement will not threaten arrest unless immediate payment is made.
Attorney General Formella urges residents to stay alert and follow these steps if they receive such a call:
- Do not engage with the caller.
- Hang up immediately.
- Do not provide any personal information or money.
- Contact your local police department especially if you’ve lost money or arranged to have money picked up.
- If callers have concerns about the legitimacy of a call which purports to be from the RCSO they should contact Rockingham County Dispatch at 603-679-2225 to verify the authenticity.
- Report the scam to the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office:
- Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-888-468-4454
Email: [email protected]
NH Bureau of Adult and Aging Services Services: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/bureau-elderly-adult-services
NH Dept. of Justice Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit: https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/elder-abuse/index.htm
NH Bureau of Securities Regulation: https://sos.nh.gov/Sec_Reg.aspx
Senior Law Project of NH Legal Assistance: https://www.nhla.org/content/seniors-17
ServiceLink: https://www.servicelink.nh.gov/index.htm
211 NH: http://www.211nh.org/
