The Bexar County Sheriff's Office has recently warned the public of an increasing threat of phone scams, highlighting an alarming incident where a local was defrauded of more than $9,000. "Scammers are posing as Bexar County officials and asking San Antonians for money to avoid arrest," the sheriff’s office revealed in a Facebook post last Saturday, which was reported by KSAT.

In an elaborate scheme, the scammers are preying on the fears of residents with threats of arrest warrants and missed jury duties – exploiting the sanctity of judicial and law enforcement institutions to line their pockets. One victim, according to a statement obtained by KSAT, was told she had felony arrest warrants and needed to pay $9,320 to prevent being taken into custody. Even suspecting a scam, the woman withdrew the requested amount and made deposits to local Bitcoin ATM machines.

This deceitful tactic mirrors a similar scam reported by News 4 San Antonio involving targets that are coerced into paying large sums under the pretense of avoiding arrest for unpaid citations or failure to appear for jury duty. The BCSO emphasized the importance of recognizing these fraudulent tactics, clarifying they will "never demand payment over the phone."

To forestall future victims, the BCSO has offered clear instructions for those who find themselves on the receiving end of these dubious calls. If you get one of these calls, "hang up. Do not give any of your information," then contact the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at (210) 355-6000, as noted by News 4 San Antonio. By spreading awareness of these nefarious schemes, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office hopes to prevent further financial loss amongst community members, who might have fallen prey to the swindlers’ convincing but baseless threats.