Local law enforcement is warning people of yet another scam to hit the Verde Valley. Last week, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said it and other agencies had received reports from victims of the jury scam.

According to YCSO spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn, in the scam, suspects call and identify themselves as police officers or deputies and claim the victim missed jury duty, resulting in an arrest warrant.

If the victim has caller ID, it will show the actual phone number for a police agency or sheriff’s office. The scammer uses special software to make the legitimate phone number appear as the caller ID.

In the past, D’Evelyn said they have had victims fall for the scam and, in one case, a victim lost more than $3,000 after he supplied pre-paid credit card numbers to the scammer to pay a fine on the warrant.

In one of the recent reports, he said a recording of the scam call was obtained. In the call, the suspect, posing as a deputy sheriff, notified the victim of a missed jury duty appearance in a federal court case.

In the recording, the suspect tries to convince the victim that warrants have been issued and avoids allowing the victim to call back and verify the phone number. The suspect merely suggests the victim “Google the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office to verify the number.”

Towards the end of the call, the suspect puts his “supervisor” on the line, which will eventually lead to a demand to pay fines in the amount of $3,000, usually with pre-paid gift cards.

Lt. Lucas Wilcoxson, of the Sedona Police Department, said they have not received any reports locally of people being scammed. But in many cases, people often won’t report being the victim simply out of embarrassment.

“When a person receives a phone call, email or letter, they should call the department or company before providing any information,” he said. “People can find the telephone for the department or company through the Internet or phonebook. Do not use the telephone number that is provided by the person calling, in the e-mail or letter because you may not be provided the correct information.”

Wilcoxson listened to the YCSO audio recording and said the scammer sounded very convincing.

“The courts and the police departments do not call people to have them pay for their fines over the phone or through prepaid cards,” he added.

Those who feel they may have been a victim of this scam or others are encouraged to call the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with information or questions at 771-3260 or the SPD at 282-3100.