An increase in reports of warrant scam calls within Buchanan County has the Sheriff’s Department issuing another alert.

Corporal Sarah Hardin said there were numerous residents over the weekend who reported receiving harassing telephone calls from someone claiming to work for the Sheriff’s Department.

“Someone was calling identifying themselves as a Buchanan County Sheriff’s deputy and telling people that they have warrants and that they need to take care of those by sending money,” Hardin said.

It’s not the first time this year the department has issued this warning.

“We will never call you on the phone and say you have a warrant and you need to take care of it,” Hardin said. “Scammers are able to manipulate their telephone number to look like a local number on caller ID.”

During the most recent scam Hardin said the individual calling in the scam was identifying himself as “Deputy Watson with the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department.”

“It’s very important that they know when they receive this phone call when it sounds a little funny it’s because we won’t do that,” Hardin said.

She said if someone is concerned if they are being sought by police to call the Communications Center at (816) 271-4777 and ask to speak with an officer.

“That officer will be able to advise them if we’re currently looking for them or if the phone call is a scam,” Hardin said.