Scam demands Clay County residents pay up or go to jail

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Clay County residents are being targeted by a caller impersonating a Sheriff’s Office employee saying they will be sent to jail unless they pay a fine.

According to the CCSO Facebook page Tuesday, residents have been receiving phone calls from someone threatening to incarcerate the caller if they do not pay a fine through cryptocurrency, also known as Bitcoin.

The Sheriff’s Office is warning residents that this is in fact a scam, but this impersonation scam doesn’t stop in Clay County.

On Tuesday night, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office alerted residents that someone called them claiming to be Sgt. Wainwright, using the phone number 386-628-3330. That person told Columbia residents that there was a warrant out for their arrest and the only way out was to post bond with a prepaid credit card.

Again officers told residents through their Facebook page that this was against their protocol.

This isn’t the first time authorities have heard these fake phone calls.

Back in September, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office reported a similar complaint. Residents said the caller claimed to be with the Sheriff’s Office and informed them of a warrant out for their arrest.

In this instance the fake PCSO employee left a voicemail with a return phone number and told residents to send a prepaid debit card in order to clear their name.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office, along with all counties involved so far, said that they would never demand payment in place of an arrest warrant.

If you or someone you know believes they are a victim of a scam contact your county’s sheriff’s office.

• Baker County: 904-259-2231
• Clay County: 904-264-6512
• Columbia County: 386-752-9212
• Duval County: 904-630-0500
• Nassau County: 904-225-5174
• Putnam County: 386-329-0800
• St. Johns County: 904-824-8304