Scams on The Rise, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Warns

Dutchess County Sheriff Warning The Community of On Going Scams...Again

It seems like every day there is a new scam popping up across the Hudson Valley. Whether it be online or over the phone, by call or text, scammers are trying their hardest to get your information.

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office is warning, yet again, of on going scams and the latest one plays on the victims emotions regarding the wellbeing of a grandchild.

Latest Scams Taking Place in Dutchess County

The latest phone scam is terrifying for those who are on the receive end of the call.

According to the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office "the perpetrators contact the victim and tell them that their grandchild has been hurt or is in jail, and needs money right away."

The scammers then pressure the victim to make an emotion based decision and pay the money. Later the victim finds out that their family member is fine and they're out of money.

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office reminds the community again the importance of not sharing information without confirming the facts. They write:

It is very important to not send any money to anyone that you don’t know until you’ve confirmed the situation through an independent source and feel comfortable with it.

If you or someone you know may have been victim to a scam such as this contact the Sheriff's Office at 845-486-3800 or call the tip line at 845-605-CLUE or by email at dcsotips@gmail.com.

Scams We've Seen So Far in The Hudson Valley in 2025

We're only 2 months into 2025 and there have been numerous scams that have made the rounds on social media and in our communities.

One of the scarier social media scams we saw earlier this year was the "Serial Killer Scam." This scam took mug shots of criminals and shared them on Facebook stating that these criminals were on the run in a specific town.

Read More: Is A Serial Killer On The Run In Upstate New York, Hudson Valley?

Adding that the criminals would knock on doors, then force their way into homes. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office debunked the Serial Killer Scam adding that scammers will change the original post to "some other type of sales pitch or a survey link with a cash prize."

The link could lead to sharing personal information and identity theft.

Another scam this year came in text form. It was reported that people were receiving alleged text from the IRS regarding the $1400  Economic Impact Payments.

However, the IRS explained no action were needed to receive those payments. It was just another attempt from scammers to gain access to your personal information.