Phone scam artists are ripping people off by convincing them they're with the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Kevin Kraus says it begins with false information when scammers.
“They call and identify themselves either as me or as a deputy sheriff or supervisor,” said Sheriff Kraus.
Kraus told KDKA's Marty Griffin they will use the names of Sheriff's Office staffers and even make the call appear legit.
“As technology evolves, they can spoof numbers,” added Kraus.
And the crooks will try to panic their victims by telling them they missed jury duty or have a warrant and must send money immediately.
Kraus said another red flag is when a scammer asks for payment with gift cards or at a bitcoin kiosk. If you get a call like that, hang up.