The Hunterdon County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about an ongoing phone scam in which callers impersonate sheriff's personnel and falsely claim victims missed a court hearing where they were supposed to testify as expert witnesses.

The sheriff's office said it has received multiple reports of the fraudulent calls. In several cases, scammers told residents they had to pay fines immediately to avoid arrest. In one incident, a resident was told they owed $10,000 for failure to appear, contempt of court and avoiding a civic duty.

Authorities said the scammers used the names of actual officers, and the caller ID displayed the Sheriff's Office phone number. The targeted resident hung up and contacted the Sheriff's Office directly.

Sheriff Fred Brown urged residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls involving threats, fines or demands for immediate payment.

"These scammers are sophisticated and intentionally create fear and urgency to pressure residents into making quick decisions," Brown said. "No legitimate law enforcement agency or court official will ever demand payment over the phone, request gift cards, or threaten immediate arrest for failing to comply."

The sheriff reminded residents that law enforcement and court officials will never ask for personal information, account access or immediate financial transactions. Officials advise anyone who receives a similar call not to respond, provide personal or financial information, click on links or scan QR codes, and to report suspected scams to their local police department.