(ATLANTA, Ga.) — An old scam, familiar to many Atlanta neighbors, has been making a comeback. DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox’s cousin was targeted.

Sheriff Maddox told WSB’s Veronica Waters that “[Her cousin] called me in a panic, and she said, ‘Hey I got this phone call from this guy,’ and before she could even finish I said, ‘scam!’”

She added that it can be very disheartening to hear the stories of residents who weren’t tipped off before it was too late. The criminal scammers get crafty with their methods, using internet searches to gather information to make themselves appear more credible. “They actually wired $14,000 to an individual,” said Maddox.

Using the names of actual law enforcement officials, they call residents and inform them that they’ve missed a court date, and must pay a fine. “They’re asking the individuals to meet them in the parking lot of the sheriff’s office, and to the average citizen, you’re thinking, ‘oh, this must be legit,’” says Maddox.

Despite appearances, the calls are never genuine. Don’t be scared into paying up!

WSB anchor/reporter Veronica Waters contributed to reporting for this story.

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