Lehigh County Sheriff Joe Hanna is warning people about telephone scammers professing to be deputy sheriffs.

According to Hanna, citizens have reported receiving telephone calls from a man professing to be Sgt. Todd Sullivan of the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office. The caller admonishes the citizen for failure to appear for jury duty or respond to a warrant and then advises them that they are subject to a fine. Failure to pay the fine will result in their apprehension and incarceration. He then directs them to purchase a disposable debit card and call him with the access and pin number.Hanna said "There is no one within the ranks of the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office by that name. Furthermore, deputies do not collect monies during the course of our everyday business."The sheriff warned that "varied telephone scams of this nature have been around for some time and anyone is subject to being targeted."Hanna advises the public that anyone receiving a call requesting money on behalf of his office should contact the Lehigh County Sheriff's Office at 610-782-3175.