SIDNEY -- The Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office is reporting a scam impact the Cheyenne County area.

Residents are being called by an individual claiming to represent the sheriff's office with a warrant for the resident. The resident is then offered an opportunity to settle the warrant over the phone. Sheriff Adam Frerichs urges caution when receiving a all regarding law enforcement communication. 

"We have had several people come in today advising that they had been contacted via telephone. The number that the scammers are using comes across as a 241 prefix which tells us they're cloning it, making it look like its a local call," Frerichs said. 

The scam sounds legitimate, which is all the more reason residents need to be cautious when called, according to Frerichs.

"They call and they claim to be with the Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office and they advise the person that we have a warrant for their arrest, but that they can take care of it very easily with an Apple Card, Apple Play Card, buy some gift cards and send to them," he said.

He stresses that is not how the court system works. Frerichs said the scam is so well done a fake warrant has been offered. He said it is not a valid warrant, but it is a fairly realistic-looking warrant with the person's name on it.

He said there is only one way to address a warrant.

"If we call you, and you have a warrant, we're going to ask you to come down to the sheriff's office to take care of it. That's the only way to do it. You can't pay over the phone, you can't pay by credit card, you have to physically come down to the sheriff's office and turn yourself in. Anything that requires you to do anything other than come to the sheriff's office, to the jail, is a scam," Frerichs said.