July 29, 2026 – Nevada County Sheriff’s Office officials report that (NCSO) have been notified 
again of scammers impersonating our agency and members of our team in an attempt to steal money from community members. These scams often involve claims of missed jury duty, outstanding warrants, or other legal matters.
We will never call and demand money.
Scammers can spoof caller ID to make it appear as though the call is coming from the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office or one of our phone numbers—even when it isn’t.
The video below is an example of an actual scam phone message received by a Nevada County resident that we have shared in the past. In the message, the caller identifies himself as "Sergeant Timothy Highsmith." While Sergeant Timothy Highsmith is a real member of our team, he did not make this call. Scammers used his name to make the message appear legitimate.
Phone Scam Prevention Tips:
- Law enforcement will never call and ask you to send money, purchase gift cards, buy prepaid debit cards, or provide banking or financial information.
- Law enforcement will never call to threaten arrest or demand immediate payment because you missed jury duty, have an outstanding warrant, or failed to take some other action.
- If a caller pressures you to act immediately, treats the situation as urgent, or threatens consequences unless you pay, it is likely a scam.
- If you are unsure whether a call is legitimate, hang up and contact the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office directly at 530-265-1471 to verify whether a member of our team is trying to reach you.
Please help protect others by sharing this information with your family, friends, and neighbors.
Source: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office
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