The Vernon Parish Sheriff's Office (VPSO) is warning residents about a phone scam targeting locals, and attempting to extort money from them over the phone. The VPSO released statements on Wednesday describing the scam, and advised residents to not engage with potential scammers on the phone. 

The VPSO stated that a recent victim was coerced into sending $1000 to the scammer. The scammer pretends to be a law enforcement officer, and has even claimed to represent "Vernon County."

The scammer will allegedly claim that the victim has a warrant out for their arrest and then coerces them into sending credit card information, banking information, or purchasing reloadable gift cards to be sent to the scammer. 

Residents who are worried about potentially having an active warrant are advised to contact the VPSO Warrant Department at 337-238-1311.

The VPSO is also reminding residents that money sent or transferred can not be recovered, and that residents should be vigilant when it comes to suspicious phone calls.

This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: VPSO warns residents of recent phone scams