Dickson County Sheriff Tim Eads details how the department investigates, stops and prevents scams in the community.
DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Dickson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is committed to stopping scams at the source.
Sheriff Tim Eads said he has seen residents lose tens of thousands of dollars to scammers.
“It only takes a second, and then it’s too late… and it takes a lot to shut that stuff down,” Eads said. “Typically, it’s out of the country within a couple of hours. They’ll bounce it to two or three accounts, and then it’s gone.”
While it often starts overseas, his department is constantly working to stop it in Dickson — using forensics, search warrants and specially trained officers, often spending months on a single indictment.
In fact, several weeks ago, DSCO put a man behind bars for selling class cars on a fake website across multiple states — scamming a Dickson County man out of $50,000.
“We often work with our other local partners, sheriff’s offices, police departments, state agencies, federal agencies… there’s a lot of man hours that go into making an arrest,” he said.
Much easier than getting the money back, though, is stopping it from being wired in the first place.
Eads said DSCO is also committed to educating the public about scams, spreading the word through social media and at events in the community.
The department has put a special focus on educating seniors, who may be less skeptical of scammers or have less experience with technology.
“It’s not necessarily because they are elderly. It’s because they are of a more trusting generation,” Eads said.
Eads said the most commons scams in Dickson County may claim to be the sheriff’s office, say you won a prize and ask for money, or threaten you with a photo of your own home.
If you are a victim of one of these scams, he advises you take a deep breath, avoid clicking the link and call local authorities.
“If they don’t want you off the phone, that’s always a big tell. Just say, ‘hang on, I’m going to call the local sheriff’s office’ — they’re not going to want you to do that,” he said.
Eads also encourages everyone to pass the knowledge on to their loved ones.
“Don’t be afraid to sit down and have a candid conversation. ‘Hey, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, listen… you’re using this stuff — you have to be aware people with nefarious intent will do you great harm,'” he said. “‘So, if you see anything suspicious, take the time to call me.’”