OKEECHOBEE — A local woman received a phone call warning her if she didn’t immediately pay her phone bill of over $1,000 she would be arrested. The trouble is, she told the caller, she has never had that phone carrier.

A report by Deputy Joann Henderson, of the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), stated she responded to the attempted scam Wednesday, June 15.

The report detailed how the woman was called by SCG Consulting, a purported collection agency. She was told she owed $1,467 on an overdue Sprint telephone bill from 2007 until 2013.

Deputy Henderson went on to indicate how the caller then threatened the woman with arrest if she didn’t pay.

“(She) advised the collection agency she never had Sprint as a carrier and they have the wrong (person),” stated the deputy’s report.

The potential victim was then told to call 1-888-267-0224 to pay the bill, and the scammer hung up the phone.

“I attempted to call the number back that was provided, but (I) was unsuccessful,” Deputy Henderson stated.

However, the scammer soon called the woman back and told her to go online and file a report with FTC.gov.

But, continued the deputy, the woman didn’t go online and she didn’t pay the money. Instead, she called the sheriff’s office.

Deputy Henderson gave the woman her case number and told her if the consulting firm calls back she should give them the case number.

If you think you are the target of a scam, call the sheriff’s office at 863-763-3117 to file a report.

If you live in the city limits, call the Okeechobee City Police Department at 863-763-5521.