CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Crime Stoppers is warning the public about an "alarming scam" popping up in the Queen City.
Scammers have been calling and pretending to be from the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, according to Crime Stoppers, and telling victims they have a "failure to appear" warrant for a court date or jury duty.
The scammers then threaten the victim with arrest unless they pay a large fine, and will even go so far as to meet with victims in-person to collect the money.
Crime Stoppers says the phone numbers used in the scam calls will resemble a number from Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, and the scammers have used the names of real law enforcement officers -- but Crime Stoppers stresses a law enforcement agency will never contact you for money.
Anyone who receives a call like this is asked not to engage, but to report it to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
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