Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster is warning the public about an ongoing scam involving fraudulent phone calls from individuals falsely claiming that the recipient has missed jury duty and must pay a fine to avoid arrest.

Reports indicate that scammers are posing as law enforcement officers, court officials, or jury coordinators. They often use spoofed phone numbers that appear legitimate and may provide personal information—such as the victim’s name or address—to sound convincing.

Victims are typically told they face immediate legal consequences, such as arrest warrants or fines, unless they pay a fee via prepaid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, or other untraceable methods like Bitcoin. They will even give the nearest address for a Bitcoin machine or dealer.

“No legitimate government agency will ever demand payment over the phone or threaten arrest for missing jury duty,” said Sheriff Lee Foster.