FAIRFAX, Va. — The Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents to a new and increasingly sophisticated scam involving fake documents sent via text message. According to the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit, scammers are now distributing highly convincing fraudulent paperwork, some of the most realistic seen to date, in an effort to deceive residents into responding or providing payment.

Residents are urged to remain vigilant and remember that the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office will never send court orders or official documents via text message, and deputies will not contact anyone by phone to request information or payment. All official documentation is delivered through the U.S. mail or served in person by a deputy sheriff.

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office requesting immediate contact or payment, hang up and do not return the call. Law enforcement personnel will never demand payment of any kind over the phone.

Anyone who has received one of these calls or fallen victim to the scam is encouraged to email the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office at SHF-CIU@fairfaxcounty.gov.