Chesterfield County, Va. – The Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers claim victims missed jury duty or court and demand payment.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, multiple people in the area have reported being contacted by individuals impersonating sheriff’s office employees. Callers typically tell residents they failed to report for jury duty or missed a court date and must pay money to avoid arrest.
Officials emphasized the calls are fraudulent.
The Sheriff’s Office stated it will never instruct someone to pay money to make a charge “go away” and will never request payment using prepaid cards. Authorities said requests for immediate payment are a primary indicator of a scam.
Residents can verify active warrants and capias information by visiting Chesterfield.gov and searching “active warrants,” according to the agency.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted or victimized by the scam is asked to contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251.
Law enforcement agencies nationwide have reported similar impersonation scams, which often rely on urgency and fear to pressure victims into sending money.
Officials are urging residents to hang up on suspicious callers and independently verify any claims before taking action.
