KEYSTONE, Colo. (KKTV) – Law enforcement in Colorado is warning the public after a Keystone man fell victim to a scam.

According to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, the scammers called the unsuspecting victim and told them they would have to pay thousands in Bitcoin to avoid being arrested.

The sheriff’s office said the victim complied, sending the scammers more than $6,000 in Bitcoin and was preparing to send another $4,000. Deputies were able to intervene before the second payment was made.

“During the phone call, personal information was also provided to the scammer. The resident has been placed under precautionary measures to protect his identity,” the sheriff’s office said.

In September, the sheriff’s office responded to a similar incident at a bank, also located in Keystone. In that case, the appellant claimed to be a sergeant from another county in Colorado and told the would-be victim to pay $8,000 to prevent arrest. Bank employees managed to stop the woman just in time.

The “jury duty scam,” as it’s known, occurs frequently in Colorado. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office issued a similar warning several years ago.

“The caller threatens the person who picked up the phone, stating that he was absent from jury duty. The scammer goes on to say that it is a felony to fail jury duty and the targeted victim must pay fines,” EPSO said in a 2021 news release. “… The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens that our office DOES NOT NEVER call or text to let people know they have an active warrant or have been absent from court or jury duty.”

Other law enforcement agencies in the state reiterate the same thing over and over: They will never call and threaten arrest, and they will never call to demand payment. If you get a phone call asking you for something else, hang up and call the actual agency to verify the phone call.

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