Franklin police are fielding scam reports nearly every day and expect the problem to worsen as the holiday season approaches, the department said in an advisory posted Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Callers posing as law enforcement or government officials have claimed residents face arrest warrants, missed jury duty or unpaid fines. The department said those tactics rely on fear and urgency to pressure people into acting quickly.

"Scammers often use fear and urgency to pressure people into acting before they have time to think," Police Chief Deb Faulkner said. "If someone calls demanding money or sensitive personal information, hang up and verify the claim independently."

The advisory lists several red flags: unsolicited requests for money, bank or credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash or jewelry. The list is long.

Franklin police offered five steps for anyone who gets a suspicious call:

  • Hang up. Do not share personal or financial information.
  • Never send money, buy gift cards or hand over valuables at a caller's direction.
  • Do not trust caller ID, which can be faked.
  • Contact the agency directly using a phone number you find independently.
  • Talk with a trusted family member or friend before doing anything.

The warning follows a case that shows how far scammers will go. An 83-year-old Franklin man lost $71,000 in September after callers posing as FBI agents spent 11 days threatening and manipulating him by phone, WKRN reported Sept. 20. The callers sometimes kept him on the line for six hours at a stretch and eventually directed him to wire the money from his bank.

His daughter, Chloe Bird, described her father as an extremely smart man who worked hard his whole life. "These people were able to wear him down," she told WKRN at the time. "It could be anybody."

Franklin police confirmed they are investigating that case, according to the WKRN report.

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office has issued its own jury-duty scam alerts, warning on Sept. 23 and again on Monday, Oct. 5, that scammers are using fake warrants, spoofed caller IDs and real names of judges and officers. The sheriff's office said courts and law enforcement will never require payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, payment apps or wire transfers.

Older adults are frequently targeted, the Franklin police advisory said, but anyone can be victimized. The department urged families to talk with parents, grandparents and other loved ones about the warning signs.

Residents who believe they have been targeted can contact the Franklin Police Department at 615-794-2513.