Northwest Georgia residents are being warned about a convincing telephone scam in which callers impersonate law enforcement officers and claim the person receiving the call failed to report for jury duty and now faces arrest.

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office has received reports of callers identifying themselves as employees or officers with the agency and telling residents they missed jury duty and have a warrant.

One of the things making the scam particularly convincing is caller ID spoofing. The scammers can manipulate caller ID so the telephone number appears to be coming from the Sheriff’s Office itself. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office says it does not conduct business this way and residents should never provide personal or financial information or send money in response to such a call.

The scam isn’t limited to Walker County. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, which serves Northwest Georgia, continues to receive reports of fraudulent calls and emails involving the same basic scheme.

Federal court officials say the scammers can be remarkably convincing. They may know the victim’s name or other personal information and use the real names of law enforcement officers, court officials and federal judges. They may provide legitimate courthouse addresses, spoof official telephone numbers and even send victims fake arrest warrants or appearance bonds that look like official court documents.

The basic story, however, remains the same: the victim is told that he or she failed to appear for jury duty, that an arrest warrant has been issued or is about to be issued, and that the problem can be resolved by immediately paying a fine.

Federal court officials say that’s not how the jury system works.

A legitimate federal jury summons is sent through the U.S. Mail. If a prospective juror fails to respond, subsequent communication comes through the court clerk’s office, and any order requiring the person to appear before a judge is issued in writing and mailed. A fine isn’t imposed until the person has had an opportunity to appear in court and explain the circumstances.

Most importantly, courts and law enforcement will not demand payment over the telephone to keep you from being arrested.

The Federal Trade Commission says newer versions of the scam may demand payment through a payment app, cryptocurrency, gift cards or wire transfers. Some scammers follow the initial call by sending official-looking documents claiming to be arrest warrants. Those documents are fake.

Residents who receive one of these calls should hang up without providing any information or sending money. Don’t assume the call is legitimate simply because caller ID shows the correct telephone number for a sheriff’s office or courthouse.

If there is any doubt, look up the agency’s official telephone number yourself and call it directly. The Walker County Sheriff’s Office’s published main number is 706-638-1909.

The Northern District of Georgia says anyone wanting to verify whether they have actually been summoned for federal jury duty can contact its jury office at 404-215-1640.

The simplest warning for area residents is this: If someone calls claiming you’ve missed jury duty and says you must pay money immediately to avoid being arrested, don’t pay. Hang up and verify the claim yourself.