Phone scam hooks Vermilion Parish lady for $1,000

Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon is warning residents about a new telephone scam that began Thursday and managed to hook an elderly lady from Maurice.
Deputies say the scammer calls a residence and pretends to be a law enforcement officer. They tell the victim there is a warrant out for their arrest; one of the reasons they give is that they missed a court date. The scammer tells the victim the warrant can be recalled or taken care of by making a payment over the phone.
On Friday they got word from a parish resident that someone had been scammed by a phone call.
Sheriff Mike Couvillon said the lady gave the person $1,000 to keep her out of jail.
The Sheriff is urging residents not to give out any personal information to the caller. Instead, write down the telephone number if you have caller ID, ask the caller for his/her name and telephone number so you can return the call, then hangup. You should then report the call to your local police department or sheriff’s office.
The number is a 337 phone number.
Deputies say the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office does not make phone calls to solicit and process payments over the telephone for anything related to warrants.