Hardeman County Clerk Warns of Phone Scam Seeking Fees

Residents in Middleton and across Hardeman County are being warned about a Hardeman County phone scam in which callers pretend to be from county government and ask for fee payments. The Hardeman County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, led by Circuit Court Clerk Jennifer Burkeen, issued the alert, and the Hatchie Press published it Sept. 21.

How the Hardeman County Phone Scam Works

According to the clerk’s office, the callers claim they represent the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office or another Hardeman County government office. They then try to get people to pay fees over the phone.

The clerk’s office was direct about it: “The calls are not coming from the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office or Hardeman County.”

The alert did not say which payment methods the callers are asking for. It warned residents not to give out card numbers or any other financial information.

What Officials Want Residents to Do

The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office gave these steps for anyone who gets one of these calls:

• Do not share personal information, banking information, or credit or debit card numbers with the caller.
• Do not make any payment to someone who calls you out of the blue asking for money.
• Do not engage with the caller. Hang up.
• Report the call to your local law enforcement agency.
• Verify directly: if you think you might really owe court fees or fines, call the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office yourself at 731-658-6524.

Protecting Yourself From Government Impostor Calls

Callers posing as government offices often lean on fear and urgency. They may say that a payment is overdue or that there will be consequences if you don’t pay right away. The safest approach is to hang up and call the office yourself using a number you know is real, such as one from the county’s official website or the number the clerk’s office provided above. Don’t use a number the caller gives you.

Residents on the Mississippi side of the state line in Tippah and Benton counties should watch for the same tactic. Scammers often reuse scripts across regions, only swapping in the name of a local office. Anyone in Tippah County who gets a suspicious call claiming to be from a court or county office can hang up and call that office directly.

Related: Hardeman County Sheriff reports 81 arrests in monthly report | Hardeman County Smart Yards class registration ends Sept. 28

Source: Hatchie Press / Hardeman County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office