Orlando, FL – The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an active phone and text message scam in which callers impersonate law enforcement and falsely claim that individuals have outstanding warrants requiring payment. Officials say the messages are fraudulent, and no one should send money or share personal information.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, scammers are contacting residents by phone, text, and even through documents sent electronically. In each version of the scam, the caller or sender claims to represent the Sheriff’s Office and demands immediate payment to resolve a supposed warrant or avoid arrest. Authorities stress that these claims are entirely false.
Sheriff’s officials emphasize that law enforcement will never request money, threaten arrest over the phone, or demand personal or financial details such as banking information, Social Security numbers or identification numbers. Residents who receive such calls are urged to hang up immediately, avoid replying to text messages and block the number when possible.
The Sheriff’s Office advises residents not to engage with suspicious callers, even if the number appears legitimate. Scammers frequently use caller ID spoofing to disguise their identity and appear as official agencies.
Anyone who believes they may have been targeted or victimized can contact the Orange County non-emergency line at 407-836-4357 to report the incident and receive assistance. Officials say community awareness is one of the strongest defenses against fraud attempts, especially those designed to pressure or intimidate residents.
Residents are encouraged to share this alert with friends, neighbors and family members to help prevent additional victims.
