If You’re A Massachusetts Resident Receiving A Call From This Number, Block It Immediately

Scammers always seem to have nothing better to do than to find new ways to take money from people. Once again, they have discovered another method to try to extract money from your pocket.

The Berkshire County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a new phone call scam they have been receiving from their staff members.

A recent post on their Facebook page warns the community about an individual who is contacting residents, claiming they have missed their scheduled jury duty or have a warrant for their arrest. This caller, identifying as Officer Rinheart or Sergeant Rinheart from the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office, is demanding a payment of $9,000 to clear the alleged warrant.

The caller requests payment through various online services and offers an installment plan, stating that if the full amount cannot be paid upfront, they will accept half of the payment now and the remaining half the following business day.

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A resident commented that someone is claiming to be Sgt. Davenport is calling individuals, identifying himself as part of the Berkshire Police Department, to run a similar scam. He is using the phone number 413-769-0900 and has been leaving messages at people's places of employment, requesting them to call back. This information has recently been reported to the Adams Police Department.

The Berkshire County Sheriff’s Office has advised the public to hang up if they receive a call from someone claiming to be an employee by a name they do not recognize, as the Sheriff's Office does not have an employee by that name and does not make such calls to the community. This scam can happen anywhere in the state, so it is important to exercise caution when answering calls from unfamiliar phone numbers.