WILLITS – Officials are warning about a telephone scam hitting the city of Willits.

On Jan. 8, the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office received several complaints of a telephone scam occurring at local businesses in and around the city of Willits, according to sheriff's Capt. Kurt Smallcomb.

A male caller was telephoning local businesses and advising the owner/management that he was a deputy with the "sheriff's office" and that one of their employee's had been arrested or was in the hospital, Smallcomb said.

The caller would purposely be vague when describing the employee and would wait for the owner/manager to volunteer information, Smallcomb explained.

The caller would then request that the owner/manager send between $300-$1,000, via Western Union, to assist the employee, according to the report.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office does not attempt to elicit money for or from anyone, Smallcomb said. Anytime an unknown person requests that you send money, via Western Union, then you should be suspicious of that person and contact your local law enforcement.

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