The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning to residents about a recent telephone scam involving fake warrants.

According to reports, individuals are falsely identifying themselves as members of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and informing victims that there is an outstanding warrant for their arrest. Victims are then instructed to deposit money into various cash transfer apps such as Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal to clear the alleged warrant.

The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office clarified that it does not contact individuals by phone regarding outstanding warrants. "Anyone who has a warrant for their arrest will be told in person by a uniformed deputy," stated the office. Additionally, deputies do not collect payments or fees associated with any warrant.

Residents who receive such calls are advised to gather as much information as possible, including the name and phone number of the caller, and report it to the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority at 575-526-0795.