Latest phone scam threatens arrest if fines, taxes aren't paid

Phone scammers are telling callers they owe unpaid court fines or taxes and will be arrested if they don't pay immediately with a credit card over the phone.

The scammers, hoping to steal credit card numbers and other personal identification, tell unsuspecting people there's a warrant out for their arrest, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office warned Wednesday.

"The IRS and the Minnesota Department of Revenue have recently issued alerts reminding people that their agencies do not call residents about tax issues. Instead, these agencies send letters to residents," the sheriff's office said.

Minnesotans should never provide personal information or credit card numbers over the phone unless they know the call is legitimate. If it appears suspicious, call local law enforcement.

"People should also not rely on caller ID to verify the origin of a phone call. In some cases, calls from phone scammers will appear on a caller ID as originating from a law enforcement agency or government agency, when in reality the call is a hoax and a result of technology that manipulates caller ID," the sheriff's office said.