I recently received a frightening call from someone claiming to be with the sheriff’s department, speaking on a “recorded line.” He said I faced contempt-of-court and failure-to-appear charges for missing a court hearing. He provided a badge number and citation numbers, and claimed a summons had been signed for at an address where I hadn’t lived in six years.

He demanded two payments of $7,500—$15,000 total—to prevent immediate detention. He warned that approaching police officers or government offices would result in detention for up to 14 days. Supposedly, once payment cleared, I could come in and have my signature checked to clear my name.

He insisted the line of communication remain open at all times until payment cleared, claiming that hanging up, putting him on hold, or otherwise breaking contact would be grounds for my arrest. He said I couldn’t disconnect to call a lawyer, but allowed me to contact financial institutions to arrange payment.

A coworker who overheard the phone call contacted the actual sheriff’s department to verify whether it was legitimate. They confirmed this is a scam going around.

Please be aware: official-sounding language, badge numbers, and knowledge of your address can make a scam feel convincing. If you receive a similar call, hang up and contact the sheriff’s department directly using an independently verified number. Don’t let threats or pressure rush you into sending money.