Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office warns of phone scam impersonating deputies in Bozeman

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) warned residents on Friday about a scam involving calls from individuals posing as GCSO deputies and demanding money for false warrants, unpaid tickets, or not showing up for court or jury duty.

According to the sheriff’s office, these scammers are making claims that community members need to transfer money, or in some cases gift cards, over the phone to avoid arrest.

“Please know that while we may contact you to serve you various documents, we will NEVER request money or gift cards,” GCSO officials stated. “Any payments related to law enforcement or the jail are processed through the courts, never our office!”

Authorities noted that scammers are able to easily clone GCSO phone numbers and access publicly available lists of deputy names, which can make the calls more convincing. Residents are urged to hang up immediately if they receive calls like these, as scammers will always attempt to keep callers on the line, decreasing their ability to think through the demands or contact others.

Anyone who receives a call matching the description is encouraged to call 582-2100 and leave a message. GCSO officials said they will quickly reach out.