Mercer County Clerk's Office warns of phone scam

MERCER COUNTY, N.J. (FOX 29) - Mercer County Clerk's Office has warned residents to be vigilant of a phone scam in which scammers use a duplicate number of the office's main phone line to attempt to extort money from unsuspecting victims.

The scam is not just contained to New Jersey, the office announced. Several of the scammer's targets reside in northern and central Florida.

The clerk's office says that the scammers often mascaraed as family members, government employees and public defenders and ask targets for money.

"We implore those who have been receiving calls from of this nature not to give any money or financial information to these bad actors," said County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello.

Targets are reportedly instructed to dial an 888 number for payment, but Covello advises that Mercer County Clerk's Office would never direct residents to call such a number.

The office says anyone who feels like they have been a target of this scam should contact local authorities, or the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Cyber Crime Unit.