HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. () — The Hampton County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is warning residents of a new phone call scam.

According to HCSO, callers are posing as federal agents or court officials, claiming that a federal warrant is out for the victims for failing to appear in court. Some victims have received fraudulent documents, including a “United States District Court” warrant and other documents that may seem legitimate.

Then, victims are being asked to pay a “bond” of $3,500 to avoid arrest and pay through Walmart, Zelle, PayPal, Venmo or Apple Pay.

HCSO is reminding residents that no law enforcement agency or federal agency will demand payment over the phone or through gift cards, money apps or retail stores. Residents should keep the following in mind when getting a potential scam phone call:

• Legitimate arrest warrants are not solved with payment.
• Do not send money, share personal information or scan barcodes from someone claiming to be law enforcement over the phone.
• If you receive a call, hang up immediately and contact HCSO at 803-914-2200 to report the information.

You may report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) here.