FARMINGTON — The Maine Judicial Branch advised Monday that there has been at least one report of a scammer making telephone calls and identifying themselves as a Franklin County court employee and seeking personal information.
The branch issued a written warning “that no one should provide personal identity information over the telephone, and is reminding the public that employees of the Maine courts do not call and request personal information over the telephone,” according to Amy Quinlan, director of communications, government and media counsel for the Maine Judicial Branch.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint Thursday that a person received a call Wednesday from a woman who identified herself as Tara Brown and saying she worked at the Farmington District Court, Lt. David Rackliffe of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said Monday. There is no one who works for the Franklin County courts named Tara, he said.
The complainant was told there was a lawsuit that had not been resolved and there is a warrant out for their arrest. The complainant was concerned because the scammer had his full name, date of birth and Social Security number, Rackliffe said.
The complainant was told by the scammer to call a number to resolve the matter. The number that was on the caller ID was disconnected and the number the complainant was given to call rang and no one answered it, Rackliffe said.
Deputy Brian McCormick is handling the matter.
Nobody from any government agency is ever going to call and give a number to call to resolve an arrest warrant, Rackliffe said.
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