From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
JEFFERSON COUNTY — A scam using the name of Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway is under investigation as deputies are working to shut it down.
“The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of someone soliciting money on social media from a fake account identified as coming from Sheriff Mark Pettway,” JCSO Capt. David Agee said in a statement released Saturday. “The scammer is soliciting money in various ways on Instagram and Facebook.”
Agee said that the account has been identified and the sheriff’s office is working to have it shut down.
“We are advising all citizens if they receive a solicitation as coming from the Sheriff or Sheriff’s Office, not to respond to it in any way,” Agee said. “We advise that citizens should never respond to any social media request asking for money unless they are sure of the validity of the source. Our investigators are currently tracking this scammer.”