Otter Tail Sheriff Warns Residents About New Text and QR Code Scam

The New York Mills Police Department had received multiple calls from residents reporting contact with scammers who claimed to represent the New York Mills Police Department and the U.S. Border Patrol, prompting the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office to issue a public warning about a scam circulating through phone calls, text messages, and QR code prompts.

The suspects, according to the Sheriff's Office, were attempting to gain personal information from residents who received the contacts. The scam, which sheriffs across Minnesota flagged, involved texts and QR code prompts that demanded payment for alleged violations, alongside phone calls in which callers impersonated local and federal law enforcement.

The combination of tactics made the scheme unusually layered: recipients might receive a text with a QR code directing them to a payment portal, or a phone call from someone claiming official authority. In either case, the goal was extracting sensitive information or money.

"The Sheriff's Office is reminding residents not to give out sensitive information over the phone," the advisory stated. "Please contact your local law enforcement agency if you have received a suspicious phone call or have been scammed."

Neither the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office nor the New York Mills Police Department released a specific count of how many residents had been targeted or whether any payments had been made. No arrests were reported in connection with the scam.

Anyone in Otter Tail County who has received a suspicious call, text, or QR code prompt should contact their local law enforcement agency directly.