The Pell City Police Department is issuing an urgent warning about a phone scam targeting residents and local businesses. Callers, impersonating police officers, are using threats and fear to trick people into sending them money.
The scam works like this: a caller from a local number claims that an individual has a warrant for a missed court date. They threaten that if a fine isn’t paid immediately, an officer will come to the person’s home or workplace to arrest them, and they’ll be held without bond.
This scam was recently used against a local business, Gilreath Printing. According to Jeremiah Gilreath, the caller demanded a bail payment for an employee. The scammer first told them to come to the police station, but then offered a suspicious alternative: paying bail through Venmo.
“That was the first red flag,” Gilreath said.
The scammers are going to great lengths to appear legitimate. When Gilreath called the number back, a recording answered, “Hello, you’ve reached the Pell City Police Department.” The scammer then falsely claimed the department was working with the Department of Justice and that Venmo payments were a “new standard operating procedure.”
“It sounded legit until you start asking questions,” Gilreath warned. “Just be aware.”
“These scammers are preying on people’s trust in law enforcement,” Chief Morris said. “Let me be clear: the Pell City Police Department will never call you and ask for money. We do not use digital payment apps like Venmo for fines or bail. This is not how we operate, and we urge everyone to be vigilant.”
To protect yourself and our community:
- The Pell City Police Department will NEVER call you and ask for money.
- PCPD will NOT call you to inform you about a missed court date or an outstanding warrant.
- PCPD does NOT accept bail or fine payments via digital services like Venmo.
If you receive a suspicious call, do not give out any personal information or money. Hang up and contact the Pell City Police Department directly at (205) 884-3334 to verify the information.