(SANILAC COUNTY) -The Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving phone calls from citizens who have been receiving text messages from unknown numbers that are threatening in nature.
The text messages include the receiver’s name, personal information, and a threat to kill them if they do not send money in the form of gift cards.
Some of these text messages have included pictures of guns or severed body parts.
The Sheriff’s Office says the scam is not new and has been seen in other areas of the United States with involved parties claiming they are members of a Cartel.
If you fall for the scam, the scammers will send payment instructions on how to pay either with a prepaid debit card, gift cards, or wire the money.
Sheriff Office officials say the best advice they can give is if you are contacted, do not engage in communication back and forth, do not give scammers any information, and call your local police agency if you feel you need to report the situation.
