Sheriff Joseph N. Hanna has announced telephone scams are on the increase again throughout Lehigh County and the surrounding region.

Residents have reported receiving phone calls from persons representing themselves to be deputies, detectives and/or members of the Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office, Hanna said in the news release.

He cautioned that telephone scams artists are continuing to victimize residents using various confidence schemes, and that his office does not request any money for alleged fines, failures to appear for court or jury duty via telephone.

The sheriff advises everyone to not disclose personal biographical information over the telephone.

This includes but is not limited to Social Security numbers, credit and/or debit card information, banking and/or checking account numbers, balance amounts and other financial details.

Residents should not respond to specific locations requested by an individual over the telephone without first verifying the nature and authenticity of the request by law enforcement.

They should also use extreme caution if any person requests their home address or place of residence over the telephone, and they should make every effort to verify the origin and identity of the caller.

The Lehigh County Sheriff’s Office can be contacted at 610-782-3175 during business hours, or the Lehigh County Communications Center 24 hours a day, at the nonemergency number 610-437-5252.