If you receive a call from the Attorney General’s Office regarding an unresolved legal matter, be aware that it may be a scam.

Five people called Attorney General Luther Strange’s office Monday, saying they had received calls purported to be from the AG’s office about a legal issue that must be resolved immediately. In the past, scammers said they were attempting to collect a debt and threatened arrest if a bill was not paid.

The scam is similar to others reported in Alabama in which callers posing as law enforcement have demanded payment for either an unpaid bill or to avoid arrest for missed jury duty. The scammer then reassures the victim the whole matter can be settled without the victim being arrested if the victim will just agree to purchase a pre-paid credit card and pay the bond over the phone.

Victims have sometimes been instructed to go to a specific retail store to obtain such a card.

“Please know that any call you may receive from the Attorney General’s Office attempting to collect money is a scam. Furthermore, debt collectors cannot arrest you,” Strange 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. Impersonating a law enforcement officer and misrepresenting the judicial process to frighten and trick people out of money is a serious crime, and we hope anyone who receives such a call will report it to their local law enforcement.”