The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department is warning of a scam targeting unsuspecting residents by pretending to be deputies.

The scammers have been calling people and claiming to be deputies with the sheriff’s department and that they are trying to collect legal or other types of debt. The callers usually threaten the people with imminent arrest if the debt is not paid. They might even tell the people they can pay the debts by purchasing gift cards and providing the numbers.

The calls have been coming from a 209 area code, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the scammers are local, because they have figured out how to make calls look local.

The sheriff’s department does not call people to collect debts.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a deputy requesting money, do not engage. You can report the incident to non-emergency at (209) 552-2468.

The other option is to not answer the phone to any number that is not familiar to you or saved in your contacts.