Location: Tulare County

Incident Date: 8/6/16

Victim: Confidential

City: Tulare County

Posted by: Media Relations

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office would like to warn everyone about the latest phone scam. On Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016, five people called the Sheriff’s Office to report they had received one of these calls. 

This time the caller says he is a deputy at the Sheriff’s Office and he advises people that a warrant has been issued for their arrest because they failed to appear for jury duty or they’ve been held in contempt of court.

The caller tells people they need to report to the Tulare County courthouse or the station. He also instructs people to purchase a special debit card in order to pay for their bail.

Do not be fooled.

Deputies do not serve arrest warrants over the phone. If they have a warrant for your arrest they will knock on your door, not call you on the phone. 

We, at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, do not call residents of our county to solicit financial arrangements for warrants or other court-related fines. No member of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is authorized to receive such collections. 

If you get a phone call from one of these phone scammers, here’s what you should do:

-    Say “No thank you” and hang up the telephone.
-    Do not send them money.
-    Do not give them your personal information.
-    If you become a victim, contact law enforcement.