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

The scammers called the unsuspecting victim and told them they would have to pay thousands of Bitcoins to avoid arrest, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

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

“During the phone call, personal information was also given to the fraudster. The sheriff’s office told the resident that preventative steps were taken to protect his identity.

In September, The sheriff’s office responded to a similar incident At a bank also located in Keystone. In this case, the caller claimed to be a sergeant in a different county in Colorado and told the potential victim to pay $8,000 to avoid arrest. Bank employees were able to stop the woman just in time.

“jury duty fraud,” as it is 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 answered the phone, saying he missed jury duty. The scammer continues to say that missing jury duty is a felony and that the intended victim must pay a fine,” EPSO said in a 2021 news release. “… The Sheriff’s office advises citizens that our office has NEVER had an active warrant or that a court or grand jury “We would like to remind you that we do not call or send messages to inform individuals that they have missed their duties.”

Other law enforcement agencies across the state repeat the same thing over and over: They will never call and threaten arrest, and they will never call to ask for payment. If you receive a phone call asking otherwise, hang up and call the actual agency to verify the phone call.

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