Scam alert: arrest warrant calls are fake, sheriff's office says

Friday evening the Augusta County Sheriffs Office released an email warning the public about calls Augusta County citizens have been receiving from "a spoofed number 540-245-5321, which appears to be the Augusta County Circuit Court. The SCAM call states that there is an active arrest warrant for you and you need to deposit funds in a PNC Bank account for which they provide instructions to complete the transaction," according to the release.

"This call is ABSOLUTELY a SCAM. DO NOT give out any personal information or bank account information, wire money, transfer money to another account or get gift cards or money orders for anyone that calls claiming to be Law Enforcement or from a Local, State or Federal Government Agencies."

The release reminds citizens that the sheriff's office and local government will never call asking for bank information or for citizens to deposit money or buy gift cards. "Once this money is transferred or deposited," the release said, "it is most likely out of the country and is gone. In this case today, the scammers demanded $5,900."

“This information has been provided to the community numerous times in the past, please be mindful and do not be tricked by these tactics,” said Sheriff Donald L. Smith in the release.

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Fake calls claiming to come from Augusta County Circuit Court ask for money: scam alert