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LEE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) – The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the public to a concerning scam after a local woman was targeted in a fraudulent scheme involving fake jury duty warrants.

According to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office, the incident occurred on April 23, 2025, when a woman was contacted by someone claiming to be a sergeant with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. The scammer told her she had two active warrants for missing jury duty and would be arrested unless she immediately paid fines.

The caller instructed her to purchase prepaid cards from retailers like Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS using barcodes he provided. Pressured by fear and threats of jail time, the woman made several transactions totaling thousands of dollars. The scammer even referenced her home address and warned her not to tell anyone — a common tactic used to create fear and prevent victims from seeking help.

The sheriff’s office emphasized that:

• Law enforcement will never request payment by phone or ask for prepaid cards.
• Legal matters, including warrants, cannot be resolved through gift cards or barcodes.
• Anyone receiving such calls should hang up and immediately report it to their local authorities.
• Never share personal or financial information over the phone.
• Do not comply with requests for payment via gift cards.
• Report suspicious calls to law enforcement.

Residents are urged to stay vigilant and to inform others to help prevent further scams in the community.

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