SLO County Sheriff's Office Warns of Scammers Demanding Money

Residents urged to hang up and report calls threatening arrest over missed jury duty or other claims.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a phone scam where callers claim to be from the Sheriff's Office and demand immediate payment to avoid arrest, often for missing federal jury duty. The scammers are even using the names of real employees to sound legitimate, but the Sheriff's Office says they will never call to demand money or request payment over the phone.

Why it matters

Phone scams targeting residents with threats of arrest or other legal action if they don't make immediate payments are a common tactic used by fraudsters. This warning from the SLO County Sheriff's Office aims to educate the public on how to identify and avoid falling victim to these types of scams.

The details

According to the Sheriff's Office, the scammers will call residents and claim there is a warrant for their arrest, often related to missing federal jury duty. They will then demand immediate payment, sometimes in the form of gift cards or other untraceable methods, to prevent the arrest. The scammers are even using the names of real Sheriff's Office employees to make the calls sound more legitimate.

  • The Sheriff's Office issued this warning on February 20, 2026.

The players

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency serving San Luis Obispo County, California.

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What they’re saying

“This is a scam.”

— San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office (sanluisobispo.com)

“The Sheriff's Office will never call to demand money, ask for payment over the phone to clear a warrant, or request gift cards.”

— San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office (sanluisobispo.com)

What’s next

Residents who receive such a call are urged to hang up immediately and report the incident to local law enforcement.

The takeaway

This scam serves as a reminder for the public to be wary of unsolicited calls demanding immediate payment, even if they claim to be from a legitimate authority like the Sheriff's Office. Verifying the source of the call and never providing payment over the phone are key steps to avoid falling victim to these types of fraudulent schemes.