With the recent influx of financial fraud and scams, the young adult, mentally ill, and elderly population of Newton County are most vulnerable, with an aggressive concentration on the elderly population. To date, scammers are utilizing various techniques to deprive the citizens of Newton County. The most recent scams the Newton County Sheriff’s Office has encountered include the following: lottery winnings, IRS fees, citations, false jury duty subpoenas, and rental properties.
The major scams include: missed jury duty subpoenas, lottery winnings, owing the IRS and citations. In an effort to combat this serious issue, the goal of the Newton County Office Sheriff’s Office is to ensure as many citizens and business owners are educated regarding “How To Avoid Financial Fraud and Scams.” The first informational session was conducted on March 12, 2019 at the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Mr. Pete Caddigan, Vice President of Money Gram, briefly addressed law enforcement officials regarding wire fraud and other scams currently being used by criminals to launder money to other countries. He further educated Sheriff’s Office personnel on the various types of money cards and discussed the possibility of creating future partnerships with law enforcement entities.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office plans to continue conducting such informational sessions and the next session is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, 2019 from 6:30pm – 9:00pm at the Historical Courthouse. The public is encouraged to attend. Those persons interested in attending this informational opportunity, can establish contact with Investigator Clinton French of the Criminal Investigations Division at 678-625-1429. As always, the goal of the Newton County Office Sheriff’s Office is to ensure the safety of all citizens of Newton County.