(PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo.) — The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is warning the community of a scam in which callers are impersonating Sheriff’s deputies and requesting payment for outstanding warants.

PCSO said it does not make calls regarding outstanding warrants, and would never process payments for warrants by phone.

Several Pueblo County residents have recently reported receiving telephone calls from a deputy stating they have a bench warrant, PCSO said. The caller then demands payment via a money transfer from Western Union.

A spoofed telephone number is also being used in these attempts to make calls, so the recipient believes it is coming from PCSO. However, the number where the calls originate is not a PCSO number.

PCSO said if the number is called, a voice recording indicates the caller has reached PCSO, and prompts callers through a menu of choices, but no one ever answers the calls. PCSO said scammers can use an app that makes the phone numbers and recorded messages appear legitimate.

“The Sheriff’s Office reminds residents to never give personal or financial information over the phone unless they are certain it is a reputable source,” PCSO said in a press release. “If you are unsure whether the call is legitimate, hang up and call the department or agency to verify the legitimacy of the call.”

If anyone has given personal or financial information to a suspected scammer, PCSO recommends that you contact your financial institution, and obtain credit reports to ensure your identity has not been stolen or fraudulently used.