Local officials are warning the public of a phone scam that is making the rounds, using the name of DeKalb E911/Central Dispatch Center to gain information to be used in identity theft.

According to Director of the DeKalb Emergency Communications District Brad Mullinax the scam tries to use fear to intimidate potential victims.

“We received a call Friday from a female in our area that said she received a call from someone claiming to be from DeKalb County Dispatch,” said Mullinax. “The scammer told the citizen that she had outstanding warrants and provided her with an 800 number to call for information about her warrants.”

“This is known in cybersecurity as a phishing attempt,” Mullinax explained. “The scammer will attempt to extract further information such as name, date of birth, social security numbers, and credit card information in an attempt to steal one’s identity or money.”

Mullinax warns people to beware of anyone asking for money over the phone, email, or text. “Please note that these calls are not associated with DeKalb Dispatch or the DeKalb County Sheriff’s department. We never call anyone and release information about warrants outside of our law enforcement community.”

“We encourage everyone to never provide any personal information or pay a fee by phone, email, or text. These services are most often not an encrypted form of communication and are subject to identity theft,” said Mullinax.