The Coconino County Sheriff's Office has reported several calls from concerned residents reporting apparent phone fraud from callers claiming to be from the sheriff's office or other local law enforcement agencies. . Scammers accuse their victims of failing to appear on a jury, having local or federal warrants, or civil issues, or paying fines. The sheriff's office said the caller must use a legal title or name, likely taken from a law enforcement website or social media, and that the victim must pay a fine or warrant or a warrant will be issued for their arrest. I am giving advice.

The Sheriff's Office is reminding the public that no law enforcement agency will solicit funds or collect fines over the phone and that jury summonses will be sent by mail. If you receive such a call, please contact the Sheriff's Office at 928-774-4523 or your local law enforcement agency.

To reduce the risk of being scammed, CCSO advises the public to be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, texts, and emails. Be wary of spoofed phone numbers and email addresses. Do not use the phone number provided by the caller to verify the authenticity of the caller. Never give money or personal information to anyone you don't know or have not initiated contact with. If the caller makes you uncomfortable or says something that doesn't sound right, hang up. The Sheriff's Office added that if you believe the caller ID information is the same as that of a law enforcement or government agency, hang up and call that agency directly.