A flurry of phone scams has targeted Orange County residents in the last several months, according to Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood. Blackwood says the most recent victim lost more than $2000.

“She received a call claiming that she had missed her jury notice and that she needed to pay a certain amount of money to avoid arrest,” Blackwood says. “They told her that they could make the process very simple for her if she just gave them her credit card and routing information. And they did that, and they bled her account.”

Blackwood says his office has received hundreds of calls from residents who received similar predatory calls.

“They vary from the threat of taking you to jail for unserved warrants,” he says, “or taking you into custody for failing to appear for a jury summons, failing to pay your IRS taxes….”

Some calls also claim the recipient has won prize money. But what the all the phone calls have in common is that they all ask for personal information.

“Whenever they ask you for your credit card information, your bank account information or any other personal information that you wouldn’t ordinarily give to someone on the street, you need to hang up and not go any further with the conversation,” Blackwood warns.

Blackwood says residents who believe they’ve been the target of a phone scam should file a report with the sheriff’s office.

Related Stories
‹
Local Residents Report Scam Callers Impersonating Orange County Sheriff's Deputies
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about recent fraudulent calls made to residents where callers are impersonating law enforcement officers. In its Community Watch Daily Report, the sheriff’s office said it recently received multiple calls from Hillsborough residents claiming they spoke with a “Deputy Mark” or “Officer Davis” with Orange County. These individuals […]
10-Year Sentence for Chapel Hill Man in $3 Million Home Repair Fraud Scheme
Jorge Garcia will serve 10 years and pay $4 million in restitution after admitting to defrauding dozens of elderly homeowners.
Contractor Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Orange, Chatham County Home Repair Scheme
A contractor who used a home repair scheme to take more than $3 million from elderly residents in Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties faces seven years in prison for his plan. Jorge Alberto Garcia pled guilty in federal court on Tuesday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and two counts of failure […]
Hillsborough Woman Charged with Insurance Fraud
An Orange County woman has been arrested and charged with insurance fraud in connection with an automobile accident that occurred earlier in the year. Events surrounding the arrest were set in motion on August 28 when Vickie King Lee, a resident of Hillsborough, allegedly reported preexisting injuries to her insurance company after her involvement in […]
Chapel Hill Police Warn Of Phone Scam Targeting Local Businesses
Chapel Hill Police say a local business woman thwarted a potential phone scam last week, but others haven’t been so lucky.
The Filing Period For 2026 Elections Is Over. Who’s Running in Orange County?
As 2025 begins to wind down, many are already looking ahead to the 2026 midterm elections across the country — with the filing period for races in North Carolina ending on Friday. As of Dec. 19, candidates for federal, state and local offices can no longer file to formally begin their campaigns for the 2026 […]
'They Are Safe': How and Why Orange County Activates, Operates its Cold Weather Shelter
For the last four years, whenever winter temperatures drop to freezing, the Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness and other local government staff team up to provide an overnight shelter option.
Orange County Sheriff's Office Details String of Break-Ins, Larceny Charges Against 2 Teenagers
The Orange County Sheriff's Office formally announced criminal charges against a pair of 18-year-olds for a string of break-ins in November.
Orange County Board Makes CITEL Deal Official, Offers Tax Incentives
The Orange County Board of Commissioners passed an agreement with CITEL to move its American manufacturing operations to Hillsborough.
Orange County Authorities Find Missing Teenager After Brief Search
UPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff's Office said at 10:57 p.m. the missing child has since been located.
›