Pittsburgh-area woman loses $2,500 in sheriff’s deputy scam

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh-area lady is out $2,500 after a scammer posed as an Allegheny County sheriff’s deputy. 

“I used to be terrified,” Sarah Rabe of West View mentioned. “I used to be so scared that I used to be going to be arrested. I by no means as soon as had handled the legislation in any means form or kind.”

Rabe was dupped out of the cash after a person posing as “Deputy Johnson” with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Workplace known as her husband on Wednesday. He instructed him there’s a warrant out for his spouse for failing to indicate up for jury responsibility and contempt of courtroom.

The scammer mentioned if she did not pay, she could be arrested. Rabe’s husband conferenced her into the cellphone name. She mentioned he sounded convincing and referenced a choose’s identify.

“If I didn’t pay the bond, then I’d be arrested and detained for 48 hours,” Rabe mentioned.

The caller, Rabe mentioned, gave her a number of methods to pay. She used Zelle by her financial institution and transferred the cash. Rabe, who’s a nurse, later realized it was a rip-off after calling the sheriff’s workplace.

On the identical day Rabe received scammed, a person claiming to be “Deputy Johnson” left a voicemail on her mom’s house cellphone minutes earlier than Rabe’s husband received the decision.

“It makes me very offended as a mama bear pondering somebody did this to my daughter, to her household with the vacations,” mentioned Alice Beckett-Rumberger. “I would not need it to occur to anyone else.”

Rabe is making an attempt to get her a refund, and Allegheny County Sheriff Kevin Kraus mentioned his workplace is investigating. He added that three different well being care employees have been scammed this yr.