Phone scammer impersonates Essex County police officer, authorities issue warning

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ – If you receive a call or text from “Sgt. Blake Anderson” with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, there’s a good chance it’s a scam, authorities are warning residents.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura recently issued an alert about fraudulent phone calls and text messages being sent in the area.

According to police, someone posed as an Essex County sheriff’s officer with the fictitious name “Sgt. Blake Anderson.”

The fraudulent caller stated that a juror failed to appear in court and that the judge declared a contempt of court order – citing the need to fill out an affidavit at the sheriff’s office. The caller later sends a text message with a fake jury duty summons.

Fontoura asked the public not to provide personal information or payments to anyone claiming to be associated with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office.

Here are some important tips to keep in mind, according to authorities:

• Anyone who contacts a resident about a legal matter in Essex County and requests payment electronically is a scammer.
• Never give out financial or personal information over the phone.
• If you have never received a citation in the mail, ignore the call and call the Essex County Sheriff’s Office at 973-621-4111 to report this incident.
• Note that even if the caller ID says “Essex County Sheriff’s Office,” it does not mean it is the Essex County Sheriff’s Office as scammers can spoof the caller ID.

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