A portion of the historic part of the Iron County Jail has been temporarily closed. This section was closed due to a health risk caused by the high temperatures.  The newer section is still being utilized and some prisoners are being held in surrounding jails.

Tours of the historic portion of the jail will be held on Saturday June 14, 2014 from 10 am until noon and from 1:00 pm until 3:00 pm.  Anyone wanting to view the historic jail is encouraged to come by. The jail was featured in an article by the Post Dispatch Newspaper previously.

We would like to welcome Deputy Jeff Burkett to the Iron County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Burkett recently graduated from the Missouri Sheriff Association’s Deputy Sheriff’s Academy in Popular Bluff, Missouri.  The Deputy Sheriff’s Academy is 700 hours of training with special emphasis on the duties and responsibilities of a Deputy Sheriff.  Deputy Burkett (309) will be assigned to the south end of Iron County.

Please visit our website at icsomo.org to review the Sheriff’s Office and jail states report.  This information will be update by the 15^th of each month.  Should anyone have any suggestion to add another field, please feel free to contact the Sheriff’s Office.  In the upcoming reports we will include a detailed explanation of each section and what the numbers mean to the citizens of the county.

The Friday night Pickin-on-the-Square has been going very well and we encourage everyone to come out and enjoy the free music and fellowship.

General Information

Iron County Sheriff’s Office and Jail

573-546-7051

Iron County Communications Center

911 for EMERGENCIES

573-546-4000 Non-Emergency & General information

Citizen Awareness

Tips & Warning Signs

Entering sweepstakes and giveaways is fun, exciting and enjoyable. But please keep in mind these valuable tips and warning signs to help you know the difference between a legitimate sweepstakes offer and a scam.

Recognizing the difference between legitimate sweepstakes and other types of offers that may not be legitimate will help you protect yourself and your family.

Tip 1: Beware of Fake Check Scams

If you receive a check claiming to be from a legitimate sweepstakes and are asked to cash it and wire or send a portion back -- STOP -- you are the victim of a scam contact. The check is not real! Consumers should always remember that at Publishers Clearing House no payment or fee is ever necessary to enter or claim a prize.

Tip 2: Be Suspicious of Callers Claiming You’ve Won - But Ask You to Send Money

If you receive a telephone call from someone claiming you have won a sweepstakes prize but are asked to send money to claim it -- STOP -- you have not heard from a legitimate sweepstakes company. At Publishers Clearing House we do not notify our contest winners by phone.

Tip 3: Be Wary of E-mails Claiming You’ve Won – and Asking You to Send Money

If you receive an e-mail notifying you that you have won a major sweepstakes prize, but are asked to provide personal financial information, or send money to claim the prize -- STOP -– you have most likely been contacted by a fraudulent sweepstakes scam operator. At Publishers Clearing House we do not notify major prize winners by e-mail.

Tip 4: Never Give Your Credit Card Number to Collect a Prize

If you are asked to provide your credit card number or provide your financial bank account information in order to claim a sweepstakes prize -- STOP. Fraudulent scam artists often request this information and then go on a spending spree with your credit card; or wipe out your bank account.

Tip 5: Do Not Send Money to Claim a Sweepstakes Prize

If you are asked to send money to pre-pay taxes, pay a legal fee, pay a border fee, or pay any kind of fee to claim a sweepstakes prize -- STOP -- you have not heard from a legitimate sweepstakes company. Whether contacted by mail, phone or e-mail, remember: no legitimate sweepstakes company will ever ask you to pay or send money to claim a prize. It’s prohibited and unlawful!

Tip 6: Always Play Safely

At PCH we include a Sweeps Facts insert in every promotional offer we send. Be sure to read the Sweeps Facts, as well as our Official Rules. They are there to provide you with all the information you will need to play safely! Don’t fall for ‘lookalike’ mailings that try to mislead consumers by imitating legitimate sweepstakes.

Tip 7: If an Offer Sounds too Good to be True, Think Twice -- It Usually is!

The only sweepstakes rule you need to know is that No Purchase is Necessary and the winning is always free!

Tip 8: Contact PCH: Know the Company Conducting the Sweepstakes

PCH provides customers with assistance and can answer any sweepstakes questions you may have. If you wish to report a scam contact or you simply want to reach Publishers Clearing House, call toll-free: 1-800-392-4190. If you believe you received a suspicious email using our name and logo, you may forward it to our fraud reporting mailbox, [email protected]. You can also write to: Publishers Clearing House, 101 Winners Circle, Port Washington, NY 11050.

Tip 9: If You Believe You've Been the Victim of a Fraud Contact...

If you believe you have been contacted by a scam we recommend that you contact your local consumer protection officials and file a complaint with the National Fraud Information Center at www.fraud.org. Your complaint may help others and will be useful to law enforcement in stopping the scams.

Legal Concerns

While there are many laws and regulations that govern the running of a legitimate sweepstakes, the one rule all consumers should remember is that for any legitimate sweepstakes, no purchase is ever necessary to enter, claim a prize, or win. 

In addition to the many state laws that govern sweepstakes promotions, the Federal Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act grants powers to the U.S. Postal Service to protect consumers against those who may use deceptive mailings and misuse sweepstakes promotions. The law applies to sweepstakes sent through the U.S. Postal Service, and not to sweepstakes conducted via the Internet or telephone, unless mail is involved in some way. The law strictly prohibits false representations in promotions that represent:

• That the recipient is a winner, unless that person has actually won a prize.
• That the recipient must order to enter.
• That an entry must be sent in with payment for a previous purchase.
• That the recipient must make a purchase in order to receive future sweepstakes mailings.
• A fake check, if it does not include a statement on it that it is non-negotiable and has no cash value.
• Any seal, name, or term that implies a federal government connection, approval, or endorsement.

In addition, consumers have the right to stop receiving sweepstakes mailings. Sweepstakes promoters must give consumers a reasonable way to request removal of their names from mailing lists. Marketers must maintain a record of all “stop mail” requests and suppress the names for five years. If you wish to have your name removed from PCH solicitations, click here. The U.S. Postal Service can stop mailings from being delivered, and marketers are subject to substantial penalties for noncompliance with the law, including the failure to set up a reasonable system to prevent unwanted mailings. Need more information on sweepstakes? Helpful information can be found through publications provided by: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/telemarketing/tel17.shtm The United States Postal Service (USPS):http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/usps/request.do?create=kb:USPSFAQ&view%28%29=c[c_usps11609]&varset%28source%29=sourceType:embedded.