Cherokee Co. medical providers dealing with scam calls

Scam phone calls have been circulating in Cherokee County, North Carolina recently, according to the sheriff's office.

The scam calls are targeting medical providers, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office said.

The callers are claiming to be Chief Deputy Justin Jacobs. They say the victim has missed jury duty and try to extort money over the phone, the sheriff's office explained .

Authorities reiterate that they will never solicit money from anyone over the phone or in person.

If you receive a call like this, you should hang up immediately and contact Cherokee County Dispatch to speak with a deputy.

" Once you pay them, the money is gone and in almost all cases is not recoverable," the sheriff's office stated.