(NewsNation) — A sheriff’s office in one West Virginia county is warning residents about a jury duty scam.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office says the scammers are calling residents about “missed jury duty” and demanding fines or payment to be paid over the phone.
“These scammers will often demand payment through debit or credit card, wire transfer, or by instructing the victim to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM—often located at a gas station,” the department said in a release.
“No law enforcement officer will ever request or accept payment over the phone to resolve a warrant or avoid arrest.”
Deputies said the suspects are mostly targeting elderly people, adding they’ve previously used the names of both retired and active officers.
Investigators advise residents if they receive a suspicious call, to hang up immediately and never give out personal or banking information.
Last year, a U.S. District Court also sent out a warning that fraudsters were posing as U.S. marshals and government officials while threatening to arrest them for alleged failure to appear for jury duty.