SWEETWATER COUNTY — The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of a recurring telephone scam that has resurfaced in Sweetwater County and elsewhere in the country.

Sheriff Rich Haskell said that fraudsters are calling and identifying themselves either as law enforcement officers or representatives of a phoney “Department of Legal Affairs.” The caller, who often has a thick accent, tells his intended victims that a warrant for unpaid debt, missed jury duty, or other infraction has been issued for their arrest. He demands that the person pay up, nearly always with a prepaid debit card, or be arrested within hours.

Officials emphasized that the calls are a con, one that has cost innocent victims many thousands of dollars.

For more information on this and many other fraud schemes, law enforcement officials recommend the FBI website at https://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud