What To Know About Walmart Impersonation Scams In Your Area

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is putting out a serious warning for residents after reports of a phone scam that is making the rounds. If you get one of these calls, officials say, do not engage and contact authorities right away.

According to the sheriff’s office, the scam often starts with a caller claiming to be from Walmart Security or a Walmart employee. They will tell you they are investigating a large or suspicious purchase tied to your account.

To sound convincing, the caller may already have some of your personal information, such as the last four digits of your Social Security number, and will use that to earn your trust.

In some cases, the caller will say they need to loop in law enforcement and warn that an officer will call you back. Shortly after, you may receive another call from a phone number that looks legitimate. On the other end is someone pretending to be a sheriff, detective, or deputy.

Once the pressure is on, the scammer will push for more personal details or demand payment. They may claim you owe fines or fees and insist on payment through gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or other methods that are hard to trace. Some victims are also asked for bank account information.

The sheriff’s office wants residents to know that real law enforcement will never call to demand immediate payment or ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency, or banking details. They will also never ask for Social Security numbers or verification codes over the phone.

If you receive a call like this, hang up right away and do not press any buttons. Report the call to the Federal Trade Commission and only contact businesses or law enforcement using official phone numbers.