Text messages claiming to sell Oneida County Sheriff’s Office t-shirts are circulating in the area, but officials are advising against clicking on the link.
According to a post on the Oneida County Sheriff’s Facebook page, the posts are a scam.
Screenshots shared on the post show messages from various out-of-area numbers offering discount codes for “Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Shirt”, followed by a link.
“Residents should not click on the link in the text as it is a scam,” the message read. “The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office does NOT sell shirts.”
Those with further information can contact the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 315-736-0141.
Other law enforcement agencies in the area, such as the Oneida City Police Department and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, have warned of the same scam using the names of their services. Agencies as far away as Florida have also warned against these text messages.
According to the New York State Attorney General’s office, spam text messages offering payday loans, free ringtones or gift cards are on the rise. Messages can request a reply text or include a link.
“The link may lead to a website where you are asked to confirm your name and email address, but optionally enter more valuable information, such as your date of birth, mailing address and/or card number credit,” the office says. “Replying to the text message will likely trap you into a paid subscription service.”
The State Attorney General’s Office offers the following best practices for SMS scams:
- Do not publish your phone number publicly.
- Do not reply to the spam message.
- Be selective when subscribing to legitimate text alerts.
- Look for any suspicious texts.
- Report any text spam to your carrier.
There is a way for Oneida County residents to receive sheriff’s office apparel: the agency is currently hiring. Officials advised those interested to apply online or contact the Sheriff’s Community Affairs Office at 315-765-2224 or [email protected]
H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking news and trends for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Rose at [email protected].
