BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Erie County Sheriff John Garcia said in a statement Saturday that residents should be on alert for scam phone calls from people pretending to be from the Erie County Sheriff's Office. "The caller will identify himself as a member of the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, we are an office, and will inform the recipient of the call that they owe money for fines, or to bail out a family member, or they will state that the caller has a warrant that needs to be cleared up," Garcia said in the statement. The caller will then ask for payment through credit card information or by buying gift cards. If you receive this call, the sheriff's office said to hang up and report it to local police. Latest Local News Eden farmer says crops sustained minimal damage in tornado Josh Allen poster coming down after expired contract Erie County Sheriff warns of scam calls impersonating sheriff’s office employees 17-year-old remains in critical condition after being hit by garbage truck in Buffalo McKinley High School students volunteer to clean up property on Clinton Street Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here.