Watch Out For This Phone Scam, Contra Costa County Sheriff Warns

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The Contra Costa County sheriff’s office is warning the public about a phone scam in which scammers impersonate sheriff’s officials.

In the scam, the caller claims the victim has an active arrest warrant because they missed jury duty and directs them to send money via a crypto currency ATM under threat of arrest, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The Sheriff’s Office does not have people pay fines or fees in this manner nor are citizens ever contacted in this way,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Many people have been victimized by this type of fraudulent activity. Anyone receiving such a call should refuse to provide any personal information to the caller or simply hang up. Please contact your local law enforcement agency and notify them of the incident to see if a report could be taken.”

There are multiple versions of the scam, including one in which victims are directed to make a payment over the phone through reloadable prepaid cards, according to the sheriff’s office.