Chances are, you or someone you know has had a run-in with a scammer. Maybe it was a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS who insisted you needed to pay a large penalty immediately or go to jail. Or a mysterious charge on your credit card statement for a product or service you didn’t purchase. Or a grandchild on the phone telling you they’re in deep trouble and need you to send them money to bail them out of jail.

For almost five years now, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) Fraud Investigator Ron Norfleet has been helping residents of Yavapai County who get scammed online, over the phone, or in person. Sometimes it means sending a deputy to open an investigation or advising what to do next to prevent any more financial fallout. It’s pretty tough to get money back once a scammer gets their hands on it, he says, and beyond the hit to someone’s bank account, there’s the embarrassment that victims feel when they realize that they’ve been scammed.

The best way to keep folks from becoming victims is to educate them, Norfleet says. He gives talks at senior living facilities and to other community groups to share safety tips and updates on the types of fraud and scams YCSO is seeing in the area and the tactics these crooks use to take advantage of people.

Lately, the scammers have been hitting close to home, impersonating YCSO employees and calling from 928 area code numbers, telling local residents they have missed jury duty or have an outstanding fine. “I can assure you it isn’t us,” Norfleet says. “We are not a collection agency. Nor will we ever threaten you with arrest.”

Norfleet spent many years as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace sector before joining YCSO as a cold case investigator. He enjoys the challenge of preventing fraud while trying to stay informed about all the different scams going on right now. “If I can help one person out, that makes my day,” he says.