The Coconino Sheriff's Office is getting new reports of scams like ones that have hit the area in the past. In the most recent report, the scammer represented himself as a police officer and used the name of one our staff members.
The scammer also provided names of local judges and their clerks to make his scam personalized to our judicial system. He spoke of state statutes and court dates and told the caller to go to Target or Walmart to get Smart Cards or Gift Cards to pay the fines. The scammer had spoofed the phone number so that it looked like a real Sheriff's Office phone number, but provided a different call back number than the official Sheriff's Office / or Court numbers.
This scam is similar to other across the state. Scammers are posing as law enforcement officers, giving names of actual employees with the Sheriff's Office. They tell their victims they missed jury duty and demand payment to avoid arrest.
Remember - no legitimate court, judge, deputy, or police officer would ever have someone pay fines in this manner. Do not fall victim to these types of scams. Hang up and call your local Sheriff's Office to report suspicious phone calls.