Another recent phone scam asks residents to pay up to $500 to get warrants or charges taken care of with the Circuit Clerk or Sheriff's Office. According to Montgomery County Circuit Clerk Holly Lemons, several area residents reported receiving a call telling them a warrant has been issued or charges are pending with the Sheriff's Office or the Circuit Clerk's Office. To get the warrants or charges taken care of, the caller is asking for a certain amount of money. Lemons says what is confusing people, is that the caller has personal information about them.

They have their name, they have their address, in some situations they've had their social security number and driver's license number, as well as their date of birth. So that's what's making people think it's a legitimate thing because they have some of this personal information for them.

Lemons says neither office will make phone calls asking for money.

We will never call you and tell you that you need to send us money to prevent a charge from being issued or to prevent a warrant from being served upon you, neither will the Sheriff's Office. If you are suspicious in any way, shape or form please call either my office or the Sheriff's Office to verify that there is, one, any charges or, two, a possible warrant, but, again, neither office makes phone calls as a general rule regarding either of those situations.

This scam has been going on for a couple of weeks in the area. If you receive a suspicious call or ever need to verify information, contact the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk's Office at (217) 532-9545 or the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at (217) 532-9511.Thomack 3/9/16