From the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department:

Residents BEWARE

Our community is being targeted by a warrant phone call scam where scammers are calling you, giving the name of one of our deputies, advising you that there is a warrant for your arrest, and telling you to go purchase gift cards, scratch them off and provide the numbers on the back to avoid going to jail.

Our number one priority is to protect you.

Here are more tips to prevent this from happening to you:

• Please pause and think. If you have not committed a criminal act, why would there be a reason for a warrant for your arrest?
• Criminals may try to pressure you, scare or intimidate you, telling you that the Sheriff’s Office will come and arrest you if you do not provide gift card numbers to them immediately.
• Names of our deputies are being used in this scam. Names of our personnel are open to the public which, in this situation, provides opportunity for criminal actions to take place.
• The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office does not take bond over the phone, ever.  Also, bond is never taken in a form of a gift card.
• Thank you to those residents who have called and made us aware that this scam is occurring. If you are questioning if there is a warrant for your arrest, call us to verify at 815-338-2144.