Phone scam makes the rounds in San Mateo County

SAN MATEO, Calif. -- The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is warning residents to beware of a telephone scam involving a person who claims to be affiliated with the sheriff's office in attempt to defraud money from people.

The sheriff's office has so far received reports of about 10 unsolicited calls to residents by someone who introduces themselves as a deputy sheriff or sheriff's lieutenant and tells residents that they owe fees for failing to appear for jury duty, according to Detective Salvador Zuno.

The fraudulent caller instructs people to pay the fees by purchasing a prepaid Green Dot card over the phone or else they will be subject to arrest, according to the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office will never ask for money or personal information such as credit card or Social Security numbers over the phone, Zuno said.

According to Zuno, there was not a phone number or area code that appears to be a common source of the call. Additional information regarding the caller or callers was not immediately available.

The sheriff's office asks members of the public to be vigilant and asks those that believe they were a victim of the scam to contact their local law enforcement agency.