Phone scammers claiming to be with Social Security, IRS and immigration agencies target El Pasoans

EL PASO, Texas – The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says residents are continuing to receive fraudulent phone calls from scammers impersonating different local agencies asking for money.

Callers say they represent agencies like the Sheriff’s Office, Social Security, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office, El Paso Electric, the Internal Revenue Service and the El Paso District Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff’s officials say the caller will identify themselves as being with one of those agencies and then will claim that the person getting the phone call has unpaid tickets, overdue bills, missed jury duty, is subject to a Social Security investigation or has warrants or court summons.

The victim is told to buy money cards or gift cards to resolve the matter. After the victim purchases the cards, the scammer asks for the serial numbers on the cards and then turns the cards into cash.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind people that they will never be contacted by phone requesting payment for a missed jury duty summons, unpaid tickets or outstanding criminal warrants.

Residents are also urged to not give out any personal or financial information over the phone.

If you or anyone you know has been the victim of one of these scams, you should call the El Paso Police Department at (915) 832-4400 or the Sheriff’s Office at (915) 832-4408.