If you get a call like this, LA authorities say hang up immediately

LOS ANGELES - Calling all Angelenos: the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department says there's a new phone scam in town, and it has their lines ringing off the hook.

According to LA authorities, they have received a growing number of alerts regarding scammers claiming to be LASD personnel threatening legal recourse and attempting to swindle residents out of their money.

Upon calling, scammers identify themselves as a deputy, sergeant or detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. They claim the individual failed to respond to a jury duty summons or has an outstanding warrant that requires payment to absolve the fine.

The scammers use a fraudulent sense of emergency and pressure to coerce the individual, oftentimes even using the real names of LASD personnel.

Fearing arrest or legal repercussions, victims are scammed into making these payments.

The department is urging residents who do receive a demand for payment through telephone, email or other means of communication by someone claiming to work in law enforcement, to not comply.

Financial transactions with LA authorities are handled only at patrol stations, courthouses and custody facilities. According to LASD, their personnel will never ask for payment over the phone or by email. 

To better identify a potential threat-based impersonation scam, and help prevent yourself from falling victim to one of these scams, authorities suggest the following:

• If you are unsure if a call or email is real, verify the identity of the contact through an independent source, such as a phone book or online search. Do not use the contact details provided by the caller or in the message they sent.
• Do not feel pressured by a threatening caller. Hang up and verify their story.
• Never send money, give bank account, credit card or any other personal information (such as date of birth or social security numbers), to anyone that you do not know or trust.
• A government agency or trusted business will never ask for payment through unconventional methods, such as gift cards, wire transfers or Bitcoin.

To report a threat-based impersonation scam, LASD asks for those affected to call L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). The call will remain anonymous.