The Graham County Sheriff’s Office is sending out a warning about an uptick in fraudulent phone calls where individuals are impersonated as law enforcement officials to extort money. Scammers are contacting residents, claiming to be from the Graham Sheriff’s Office, alleging that there is an outstanding arrest warrant for the person they call for failing to appear for jury duty, as reported by Graham County Arizona. Victims are instructed to pay a certain amount via Bitcoin or other methods to a specified location to have the warrant "removed from the system."
Officials are clear that these calls are scams and not how any law enforcement agency operates. "This is not the Sheriff’s Office nor any other law enforcement agency," the warning states. "No agency would ask for payment over the phone or in this manner."
To stress the gravity of the situation, the notice includes clear actions to take: "If this happens hang up and report the call to the Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency," as detailed by Graham County.
