A Fort Bend County woman lost $50,000 after scammers posing as sheriff's deputies convinced her she had warrants for missing federal jury duty.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office (FBCSO) warned residents Thursday, Sept. 10, that callers are spoofing the agency's phone number and using real officers' names to pressure victims into draining their bank accounts. Sheriff Eric Fagan said in a KHOU report that his office will never demand money to resolve a warrant or avoid arrest. The FBCSO dispatches for Fulshear police and patrols the Fulshear area, making the warning directly relevant to Katy and Fulshear residents.

In the confirmed case, someone called the woman and claimed to be a captain with the FBCSO. The caller told her she faced arrest for failing to appear for federal jury duty. According to FOX 26, the victim is a local school worker whose savings account was wiped out.

The scammers had the woman's personal information, including her address, birthday and Social Security number. They kept her on the phone for hours, texting fake arrest warrants and legal documents. They also imposed a fake "gag order" forbidding her from hanging up or talking to anyone else.

Afraid she would be arrested before she could pick up her daughter from school, the woman withdrew $50,000 from her bank by visiting multiple branches. She was then directed to a Bitcoin ATM, where she deposited the money through several cryptocurrency transactions.

The scam fell apart when the woman drove to the FBCSO in person to submit handwriting samples to clear her name.

As she approached the building, the callers disconnected.

Sgt. William Dading of the FBCSO told FOX 26 that scammers use Voice-over-IP technology to make any number appear on caller ID. "…they are using voiceover IP telephone numbers that can easily be programmed to show whatever number or whatever information they want," Dading said.

Once money enters a cryptocurrency machine, recovering it is nearly impossible, Dading said. The funds go into a shared digital pool where individual deposits cannot be traced back to a specific victim.

The FBCSO is also warning about a separate bail bond scam in which callers claim a family member has been arrested and demand immediate payment through Zelle, Cash App, gift cards or cryptocurrency.

In response, the agency is launching a "Scam Sunday" public education campaign, though no specific date or location has been announced.

The FBCSO offers these tips to spot a scam:

• The agency says it will never call or email to demand payment for a warrant or legal matter. Only a judge can impose a fine.
• Be suspicious of anyone demanding immediate payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment apps.
• Do not rely on caller ID, a name or badge number provided by the caller.
• If someone claims to represent law enforcement, hang up and call the agency directly using a number you verify independently.

Residents who believe they have been targeted can contact the FBCSO non-emergency line at 281-341-4665.