Officials warn of text scams, phone calls posing as deputies targeting local residents

GONZALES — Phone scams are rising in Louisiana and lots of people are getting calls posing as law enforcement asking for money.

In the past few months, both the Ascension Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff's offices have warned residents of scammers calling residents claiming to be deputies and asking for cash payments.

APSO said these calls are coming from numbers that look similar to local numbers and demanding money from people over the phone.

A recent scam call scheme sees scammers impersonating APSO's Public Information Officer Donovan Jackson and requesting cash or electronic transfer of cash payments to prevent arrest.

"First of all, that's not even in my area of work. I'm just the public information officer, so I can't ask you for money to pay for tickets," Jackson sa