An apparent scammer tried to call one potential victim but was met instead with a Missouri deputy. The law enforcement agent proceeded to perform a “switcharoo,” scaring the scammer off with arrest threats and even giving the sketchy individual a taste of his own medicine.
Tina Slay, who also goes by her username justice4caleb, shared the interaction on TikTok. Her account shows a wide variety of content, focusing mainly on raising awareness surrounding the 2020 death of her son, Caleb Slay. Unrelated, the clip attached above quickly gained traction. In a day, it garnered 355,400 views, 16,200 likes, and more than 360 comments.
Based on the comments, the Missouri woman had called the authorities after a family member of hers, potentially her father, received a call from an alleged scammer. This would explain the presence of Deputy Houseknecht, who is part of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. He was the one who answered a follow-up call from a man who identified himself as Steven Marsh.
A Scammer, Scammed
With Tina in the background, the deputy asked for Steven’s phone number, as his incoming call appeared to be coming from a private line. Then, the deputy took things up a notch, beginning his relentless quest for justifiable payback.
“So, Steven, actually, I’m looking at my records. It’s showing that you have a warrant for your arrest,” the deputy said. “So what we can do to avoid having to come take you to jail and get you booked in and all that, you can go to an ATM there, if you have one. They’re local, and pay $1,000 in bitcoin. That will keep us from having to arrest you.”
Steven, if that’s even his name, fully believed Deputy Houseknecht. He asked if he could pay with a debit card, but the law enforcement agent told him he needed to visit an ATM that accepts bitcoin. He also told him to bring the bitcoin on a flash drive to the sheriff’s office to “bond out” his warrant. All the while, the deputy fought back laughter.
The video ended shortly after, but Tina did post a follow-up. The seven-second clip showed the deputy attempting to speak to Steven, only for him to hang up immediately. The deputy’s scare tactics had worked.
Reactions
Many viewers marveled at the Missouri deputy’s wit and tactics. One said, “Ohhhh he did the ol’ scammer switcharoo on him. CLASSIC!” Another one commented, “This is the best thing I’ve seen all day.”
Other viewers continued to have fun at the scammer’s expense. One wrote, “Clearly my scam game needs to be improved. This sets a whole new bar for messing with scammers.” Another one commented, “Should’ve said you needed 4 Amazon gift cards, 250.00 each.”
More than likely, a certain Steven Marsh won’t be bothering Tina’s family anytime soon.
