Monday, March 16, 2026 |
Photo – CCSO badge – Courtesy CCSO
Local law enforcement is warning Carbon County residents about recent scam attempts.
On Saturday morning, Sheriff Alex Bakken announced on social media that numerous residents were reporting calls and texts from unknown individuals claiming to be with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Sheriff Bakken provided an example of a scam message in which the scammer attempts to convince a resident that they have an unpaid traffic fine. Along with other threats, the scammer claims that failure to pay will result in the person’s driver’s license being suspended.
Sheriff Bakken advised residents to ignore the messages and contact the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office or the DMV with any questions.
The Rawlins Police Department warned residents about a different type of scam. In this example, scammers are mailing official‑looking plastic Medicare cards to senior citizens. The cards are often laminated, glossy, and sometimes even include a convincing hologram. Because they look legitimate, many people assume they are real.
The cards often arrive with a letter that includes a phone number for the recipient to call to supposedly activate the card. The scammers then ask for the person’s Social Security number, Medicare account information, and banking details, information that should never be shared with a stranger, either by phone or online. The scammers will use that information to commit identity theft and fraud.
The Rawlins Police Department reminded residents that Medicare never issues plastic cards. Official Medicare cards are paper only. Recipients are advised not to call the number provided with the cards, but instead to contact Wyoming’s Senior Medicare Patrol at 1‑800‑856‑4398.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office also warned about various phishing scams, in which scammers call, leave voice mails, or text while pretending to be a bank or another official institution and claim that an account is locked or that fees are owed.
Additionally, residents should be on the lookout for overpayment and check scams. In these cases, a scammer will attempt to purchase an item from an individual but send more than the agreed‑upon price. The scammer then requests the excess amount back, but the original check or money transfer is fraudulent, leaving the recipient liable for the full amount.
The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and Bank of Commerce advised residents to watch for red flags, including overpayments, calls or texts from a bank requesting account information or a Social Security number, and any demands for payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency. Scammers favor these payment methods because they are untraceable and irreversible, allowing them to drain the funds immediately and leave the victim with almost no way to recover their money.
Scammers often use technology to make their caller ID appear as a bank or a local police department. When in doubt, residents are advised to hang up and call the institution directly. Scammers also rely on creating a false sense of urgency to prevent clear decision‑making. Ending the call and making your own inquiry gives you time to consider the situation. A legitimate bank or agency will never object to someone verifying their identity through official channels; they encourage it.
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, you should immediately contact your bank and report the incident. The bank can freeze your account to prevent further losses. If the scam involves a Social Security number, visit the Social Security Administration’s scam‑prevention website at ssa.gov/scam. In all cases, local law enforcement should be notified as well.
