Local businesses targeted by scammer

TIFTON — Two businesses were recently scammed by someone impersonating a police officer demanding bail money for employees.

On March 13, Bojangles, located on Magnolia Drive, was contacted by phone by someone posing as a law enforcement officer.

The caller told the employee who answered the phone that the district manager had been arrested and would need money from the store to make bail.

The store manager was told that a plain clothes officer would arrive in an unmarked car to pick up $200.

After the scammer left, the manager was able to contact the district manager, who contacted the police.

The second occurrence was on March 15 at Smoothie King, located on North Virginia Avenue.

An unknown male, who said he was with the Tifton Police Department, told the employee that the store manager had been arrested and needed money to make bail, and that the manager’s brother-in-law was going to pick up the money from the store.

After the employee gave the scammer $220, she received a text from the manager, who was not in jail, and the employees contacted the police.

According to police reports, Sonic had also had a similar call but no one came to pick up the money there.

The scammer is described as a white or Hispanic male wearing a blue jacket, jeans and a Florida Gators hat and was driving a grey Dodge Charger.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Tifton Police Department at (229) 382-3132.