A new and recent scam is plaguing Alabamians who might be tricked into thinking they’ve inherited debt issues. 

Attorney General Luther Strange warns Alabamians of a scam involving callers who claim to be from the Attorney General’s office who call victims and threaten to arrest them if a bill goes unpaid.

The latest scam allows fraudulent callers to use a spoofed phone number that reads on a caller ID as the Attorney General’s Office. General Strange alerts individuals to know that any call received from his office attempting to collect money is a scam.

“Debt collectors cannot arrest you,” he said. “If, for any reason, law enforcement or the courts have an issue with you, you would usually be notified in writing and be ordered to contact the clerk’s office, either in person or by telephone.”

Other scams in which callers posing as law enforcement agents have demanded payment for unpaid bills or to avoid arrests, are similar to the new scams that are permeating through the state. The scammer lets the victim know the whole matter can be resolved without the victim being arrested if the victim agrees to purchase a pre-paid credit card. The card would then be used to pay bond or debts over the phone. Some victims have been instructed to go to specific stores to purchase the debit cards.

Strange said impersonating a law enforcement officer and misrepresenting the judicial process is a severe crime. In addition, he said he hopes anyone who receives the call will report it to local law enforcement.