PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - A Portsmouth man says he’s now bankrupt after becoming a victim of an arrest warrant scam. You all know the classic internet phishing scam. A wealthy prince from a faraway land needs you to send them thousands of dollars. Well, times have changed, and so have the method s scammers are willing to use to get their money. Edwin is a Portsmouth resident who recently fell victim to an arrest warrant scam.  “He was telling me, we’re gonna arrest you if you don’t do this. We’re gonna have police come arrest you." Virginia State police warn of scammers impersonating troopers Edwin was contacted by someone he thought was with the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office.  “I got a phone call, and I answered it. The person on the other end said he was sergeant so and so, I forget his name, from the Portsmouth Sheriff’s department. He said, 'I have two warrants for your arrest for failure to appear.' I said 'appear for what? He said 'in court for jury duty.'” The scammers demanded money, and not just once.  “I’ve lost $11,500 on this the last two days because they kinda scared me about my job, about being arrested. They kept telling me, 'you can’t go to the courts to pay this money because you’re gonna be arrested as soon as you step on the property.'”  WAVY TV reached out to Col. Marvin Waters with the Portsmouth Sheriff’s Office. He said, "It’s important to remind citizens that the sheriff’s office will never ask them for money.” This was a lesson Edwin learned the hard way. “They will never ask for money, they don’t call. Even the government, they’re not gonna call you and ask you for money," Edwin said. Remember, if you receive a call from someone who claims to be a law enforcement officer, and you’re concerned, call your local law enforcement office to verify. ...read more read less