Monroe County warns residents about fake deputies and warrant scam

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office warned residents about scammers posing as deputies and other law enforcement officers, then demanding money over phone and text messages. The agency said it had taken multiple reports of the scheme, which has surfaced in Monroe County with claims about missing jury duty and a fake warrant.

The calls are designed to sound official and urgent. In the reported version of the scam, the caller claims there is a legal problem that must be fixed immediately, then pushes the target to pay before an arrest or other penalty supposedly follows. The scams can also seek gift cards or personal information, but the central tactic is the same: use fear of law enforcement to rush people into giving up money.

The red flag is simple. Legitimate law enforcement does not demand payment over the phone to clear a warrant. If a caller says there is a warrant, missed jury duty, or some other immediate legal threat, hang up and verify the contact through an official number before taking any action. Do not send money, do not buy gift cards, and do not give out personal information to someone who claims to be with the sheriff’s office or another agency but only reached you by an unexpected call or text.

The warning matters in a county spread across the Florida Keys, where calls and messages can move quickly and reach residents, visitors, and older adults who may not know how local agencies handle legitimate contact. A separate Keys-area report described a phone scam in which an unknown caller claimed to be a member of law enforcement, underscoring how often impersonation schemes can reappear across the islands.

The Monroe County warning also fits a broader pattern across the Keys and South Florida, where similar scams have generated repeated public alerts. For residents fielding a suspicious call today, the safest response is to end the conversation and contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office directly through its official published number before paying anything or sharing any personal details.