The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been advised that citizens are receiving phone calls from individuals who are representing themselves as department employees.

The caller usually tells the citizen that there has been a warrant issued for their arrest for failure to appear for jury duty. The caller will tell the victim that they have to pay a sum of money or deputies will come and arrest them. The caller will instruct the victim to get a money order, conduct a wire transfer or buy a gift card (usually Green Dot) and send it to “pay the fine.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will never call and solicit money for fines, nor will it solicit warrant information by phone.

The department advises residents to never give your personal information to anyone over the phone.

If residents have sent money or believe that they have been the victim of a crime, they should call their local sheriff’s station or police department and report the incident.