Chief Deputy Bruce Temple said no one has been taken by the scam — the most recent number used being 888-896-6726 — but there have been calls of concerns. “We have validated the numbers are being set up temporarily and are being directed overseas.”

Halifax County residents have reported to the sheriff's office they are being informed of a debt that is owed. “In most cases the debt owed is valid,” Temple said in a statement. “For instance a person had a contract with a phone company some time ago and separated from that contract or terminated service leaving behind an unpaid debt.”

(Halifax County Sheriff Wes Tripp will be hosting a Concerns for your Community meeting at Valley Community Church on Thursday at 7 p.m.  Aside from community concerns, the sheriff’s office will provide crime prevention tips and information pertaining to the Church Watch and Neighborhood Watch programs. The public is invited to attend. The church is located at 1215 Julian R. Allsbrook Highway near Halifax Community College)

The scammers, through an unknown means, are finding information regarding that debt and calling under the pretense to collect. “In most cases the offenders will contact a relative or friend in an attempt to make contact with the victim to satisfy the debt and will leave a contact number and extension as well as a claim reference number to make it sound more legit.”

When the victim calls the fake company, a subject will advise them if the debt is not satisfied or a payment plan is not arranged the company will contact the sheriff’s office and the victim will be arrested. “The fake company will operate under the pretense of having the victim’s best interest in mind and set up a payment plan with for a small monthly payment. The Halifax County Sheriff’s Office would like to make the public aware that the sheriff’s office takes no criminal action, meaning they do not take people to jail for simply not paying a bill.”

Debt collection, Temple said, is considered a civil action the only action the sheriff’s office will take is to serve a civil paper from the collection agency or representative in the event that company requests the sheriff’s office to do so.

Temple said this is not a warrant but rather a simple paper that a deputy sheriff will serve that details the claim and the action the person should take next.

There are many variations of this scam but in most cases the victim is threatened with jail time should the debt not be satisfied.

The sheriff’s office suggests a few tips to ensure safety for residents:

• First make sure you actually owe a debt before paying anything. This can be confirmed simply by checking your credit report or watching the mail. Most companies will send several notices regarding past due debts and also notices that your debt has been turned over to a collection agency and that agency’s name.

• Identify who you are talking to. If you are not sure who you are speaking with, do not give them any money or information immediately. Write down their contact information and their business name and advise them you are going to check their credentials before dealing with them. A true business or collection agency will understand and may even give resources to check to confirm their identity.

• Use an Internet search engine like Google, Bing or Yahoo to search the phone number that you were called from. Concerned citizens and law enforcement agencies post information regarding scams and phone numbers associated with them. Search the name of the company the subject claims to represent. Check online reviews of that company. Once you are satisfied the company is legit call the company with the phone number listed on the website — not the one you were given by the assumed representative — and ask for the subjects name and extension you were provided. This will ensure the subject you spoke with does in fact work for that company and not be someone claiming to work there.

• Finally, if you are still not sure contact the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and ask. “We would rather take the time to ensure you are dealing with a legit source than the citizens of Halifax County losing their hard earned money to a scam,” Temple said.