Sedona, Arizona – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has received several concerns from citizens reporting an apparent phone scam where the caller has been identified as “Captain Smith of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.” The Sheriff’s Office does not employ a “Captain Smith”.

The scammers contacted the victim under the guise of local police, accusing him of failing to appear on jury duty, and stating that an arrest warrant would be issued until the fine was paid. CCSO does not solicit funds or collect fines over the phone.

Remember, CCSO will never solicit funds or collect fines over the phone.

Jury subpoenas will be sent via MAIL and any other medium of communication will be considered suspicious. If you receive a call like this, please contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office or your local law enforcement agency.

Reduce your risk of becoming a victim of fraud by following these crime prevention tips.
• Always be suspicious of unsolicited calls, text messages and emails.
• Beware of spoofed phone numbers and e-mail addresses. even if the information
Messages displayed in Caller ID look the same as law enforcement or government agencies. hang up
Get up and call the agency directly to verify the legitimacy of the caller.
• Never use a caller-provided phone number to verify the caller’s authenticity.
• Never give money or personal information to strangers.
Do not initiate contact with
• Take your time and trust your intuition. If a stranger caller makes you feel uncomfortable or says:
If it doesn’t sound right, hang up.

Remember, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Department will never call you to pay a fine or solicit funds. Hang up and call the Sheriff’s Department to report suspected fraud.

Contact the CCSO Public Relations Office at (928) 226-5089 and the Silent Witness at (928) 774-6111.