The Hernando County Sheriffs Office is warning residents that scammers are working the phones again, this time pretending to be deputies with a warrant in hand. In a June 27, 2026 alert, the agency said callers are spoofing the sheriff's office number, claiming people skipped jury duty or a court date and now have a bench warrant. The scammers then lean on victims to pay up to "clear" the problem, sometimes dropping the names and titles of supposed high-ranking HCSO officials. The agency emphasized it will never demand payment by phone and urged residents not to share financial information with unsolicited callers.
How the calls work
According to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the con plays out through both recorded messages and live calls. Scammers impersonate law enforcement and use local-looking numbers so the caller ID appears legitimate. Targets are told they missed jury duty or a hearing and that a judge has already signed a bench warrant. The supposed fix: pay a fine to avoid being hauled off to jail. Some callers even introduce themselves as a sergeant, lieutenant, or captain to crank up the pressure.
County clerk: official-looking notices are fake
The Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller reports that the scam is not confined to phone lines. Fraudsters have been sending out official-looking jury summons bearing what appears to be the clerk's seal and warning that a "pre warrant" exists unless a fine is paid, according to the Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller. The clerk's office reiterated that neither it nor the sheriff's office will ever require payment over the phone and noted that only a judge can impose a fine. Officials advise anyone who receives a suspicious notice to contact the clerk's jury office or law enforcement using publicly listed phone numbers, not numbers that arrive in a message or letter.
Why this keeps happening
The Federal Trade Commission has been waving the red flag on this kind of scheme, warning in June that jury-duty and bench-warrant scams are widespread and getting more sophisticated, according to the FTC. Criminals are leaning on spoofed caller ID, bogus warrants, and orders to pay with payment apps, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. The FTC stresses that caller ID cannot be trusted on its own and that legitimate courts and law enforcement agencies do not demand payment over the phone. The agency also outlines steps victims can take and provides resources for reporting these crimes.
How to protect yourself and report it
If one of these calls hits your phone, the sheriff's office says your best move is simple: hang up. Do not provide any personal or financial details. To check whether a warrant actually exists, call the Hernando County Sheriff's Office using the number on its official website, not any number supplied by a caller. For questions about jury service, contact the clerk's office directly. The sheriff's press page lists verified contact information at hernandosheriff.org. Residents are encouraged to report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Florida Attorney General at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1 66 76 72 66 (1-866-9NO-SCAM). Officials also recommend filing a local police report so deputies can track patterns and follow up.
Local context
Hernando is not dealing with this in a vacuum. Similar jury-duty scam alerts have surfaced across the Tampa Bay area in recent weeks, including a June warning from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office cited by local media, according to Hernando Sun. Hernando officials say they are actively investigating complaints and are urging residents to share suspicious voicemails or call logs with the Sheriff's Office so investigators can keep building the bigger picture.
