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Scam alert, do not respond to “Anoka County Sheriff’s Office” phone calls

Alert icon(01/06/2025) A number of district employees have received fraudulent phone calls, requesting they purchase gift cards or send/transfer money to correct missed jury duty or law enforcement fines. The messages say they originate from a person from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office but these are not legitimate messages and employees or others should not respond. We are alerting all employees as a precaution and for your protection. 

Take these steps: Should you get a suspicious phone call asking you to purchase gift cards or transfer money, please take the following steps:

  • Look at the phone number of the person who called you. These phone calls came from a person who said they were from the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. This is a national scam and not something unique to our organization. 

  • Don’t respond. These messages have a conversational tone but indicate a sense of urgency, possibly including the name of a legitimate person employed by the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. 

  • Don’t share personal details or information. The more you interact the more detailed the requests become. You will be asked to purchase gift cards or transfer money to clear your name and potential legal requirements such as fulfillment of jury duty, warrants or tickets. This is not true. Do not purchase any gift cards or transfer funds. 

  • Report the incident to the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office. Note any specific details about the interaction that may assist in any investigation into this matter and contact 911 to file a report. Helpful items include the phone number the message originated from, what they are asking for, and names they are using. 

  • Inform the district immediately. Send details of the interaction and your contact information to info@ahschools.us for further investigation. It is likely that the scammer found employee numbers posted publicly on the internet but the district will need to confirm that through an investigation. 

Aren’t sure if a call is legitimate? If you receive a phone call from any person claiming to be with law enforcement and asking for money, discontinue the call. Partner law enforcement agencies advise that no law enforcement agency will call you to ask for money. If you have any questions on if a call is legitimate, please call the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office directly at 763-427-1212 and ask to speak to an officer or deputy.

Private information protected: The district takes action to protect the private information and electronic records of employees and no private information about employees was shared as a result of this scam.