Scam Activity Increasing in Bastrop Co.

The Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office has received multiple reports involving scammers targeting residents through phone calls, text messages, and email. These scams are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. Current scams include:
• Sheriff’s Office Impersonation Scam
Individuals are calling residents while pretending to be deputies or court personnel. They claim there is a warrant or legal issue and demand payment through gift cards, Cash App, Apple Pay, Bitcoin Machines or other electronic methods.
• Bank Fraud Text/Phone Scam
Scammers are posing as bank fraud departments and instructing victims to withdraw cash, move money between accounts, or deposit funds into ATMs or digital wallets.
Banks will not ask you to move money to “protect” your account.
• Overpayment / Check Scam
Victims receive fraudulent checks—often tied to fake job offers or reimbursements—and are instructed to deposit the check and send back a portion of the funds. The checks later bounce, leaving the victim responsible for the loss.
If someone sends you a check and asks for money back, it is a scam.
These scams often appear legitimate and may include spoofed phone numbers, real‑looking emails, and personal information obtained from public sources.