January 22, 2024 - Kern County Sheriff’s Office officials report that they would like to warn the public about a phone 
scam targeting individuals in Kern County.
At this time, we are receiving reports that residents are receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be Sergeant James Newell at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office in the Civil Processing Unit asking for payment for missing a grand jury duty subpoena. The caller is asking for electronic payment to avoid jailtime.
The callback number that appears is the Sheriff’s Office number.
This is a scam. Kern County Sheriff’s Office does not ask for money, banking or payment information over the phone or accept payment for fees, tickets, or fines. If there is a warrant for your arrest, you will not receive a phone call.
When you take a phone call you suspect to be a scam; you can ask the caller for their name, employee identification number, callback number, and a reference number for the matter they are calling about. This information can be used to contact the organization directly to determine the validity of the request.
If you receive suspicious telephone calls that you believe to be a scam, you are urged to contact the Kern County Sheriff's Office at (661) 861-3110, or your local law enforcement agency to report the incident.
Source: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
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