Deputy Ryan Walker Scam

DATE & TIME: 06-11-2018 @ 1200

LOCATION: Beatrice, Seward, Lincoln, Grant County, Nebraska

OFFENSE: Deputy Ryan Walker Scam

CASE #: 2018-2869

Several persons reported a scam to a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator. The victims state they were contacted by a male identifying himself as “Deputy Ryan Walker” with the Gage County Sheriff’s Office. The victims were informed they had warrants for missing jury duty, but they could pay their fines by going to a Dollar General store, purchasing a “MoneyPak” gift card and providing the card information to him.

None of the victims reported any monetary or financial loss and all state the fake Deputy Ryan Walker called from the phone number 402-200-8455. At one point during the investigation, the victim was reporting the information to the legitimate Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator when the suspect called the victim repeatedly. The investigator asked the victim if he could listen in on a conference call type arrangement and the victim agreed. Once the suspect became aware the victim had an actual law enforcement officer on the phone, he hung up. 

Another victim reported being told to go outside of her college classroom in Lincoln and to not hang up the phone until she provided him the MoneyPak card information. The victim told the suspect she had to wait until her professor finished and hung up, called her husband, and the husband contacted a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator. The investigator confirmed for the husband that it was a scam and also contacted a Lincoln police officer to advise that agency of the possible scam.

Since the suspect seemed to particularly want the victims to use Dollar General, the investigator contacted the manager of the Beatrice Dollar General and advised him of the scam. The Dollar General manager, who has previously prevented customers from being scammed in similar circumstances by calling the sheriff’s office, stated he would advise the manager of the Dollar General Store in Wymore as well as the Dollar General district manager, who would send text message alerts to the managers of approximately 20 stores in the area.

The Gage County Sheriff’s Office urges people to use caution and discretion.  If there are any questions regarding the legitimacy of an incident, contact the local police department or call the Gage County Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with an investigator.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310