The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is alerting the public to an active phone scam in which callers impersonate a real sheriff’s office official to fraudulently collect money from residents.

Scammers are currently using the name of Assistant Chief Deputy Paul Carey to pressure potential victims. Callers claim the recipient has a warrant for their arrest or owes the sheriff’s office money, then direct victims to send payment via apps such as Zelle or Cash App. Once an initial payment is made, the scammers often follow up with additional demands, citing processing or court fees.

PCSO Media Relations Deputy Geoff Moore noted that impersonating real, searchable employees is a deliberate tactic. Scammers choose names that appear in online searches so that when a suspicious recipient looks up the name, a real person comes up — lending the call an air of legitimacy. Moore added that his own name has been used in past versions of the scam.

The scheme is not new; scammers have previously used the names of captains and other sheriff’s office personnel, and also use fake deputy names. Officials say similar tactics are employed across many other industries, including bank impersonation scams.

The sheriff’s office emphasizes that it will never call, text, or email residents to demand money. Anyone who receives such a call is urged to hang up and contact the agency directly to verify the claim before taking any action.

The PCSO Economic Crimes Unit is currently investigating after a resident reported a suspicious voicemail. That resident did not lose any money. The callback number left by the scammer does not belong to the sheriff’s office.

Anyone with information or who believes they have been targeted is asked to call the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at 727-582-6200.

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