Isaias Soto
•6/23/2026
Two women in Lee County are warning others about a phone scam where callers impersonate deputies, claim there is a warrant for their arrest, and demand money to avoid jail time.Melinda Diamond shared her experience with the scam. "I answered it, and he said that he had a warrant for my arrest for contempt of court because I didn't show up and excuse me for jury duty," Diamond said. She hopes her story will prevent others from falling victim to scammers impersonating Lee County deputies. Jamie Fialka, another victim, described how she almost fell for the scam last week. "He caught me at the exact right time, where I was already in a tizzy over another emergency and wasn't thinking straight already," Fialka said. "And then when he's threatening arrest, he's threatening 7 to 190 days in jail." The scammers presented Fialka with a fake warrant bearing her name and a $6,000 bond, leaving her feeling she had no choice but to comply. "I was not allowed to tell my family what I was going to do, but that it was a simple process and just to head to the police department," Fialka said. The scammers led Fialka to believe she had a gag order, prohibiting her from telling anyone. She withdrew money from the bank and followed instructions to purchase a voucher at a Bitcoin machine. The scammers sent her a graphic featuring a sheriff’s deputy next to a Bitcoin machine, making the scheme appear more realistic. However, the machine was out of order. "I felt like that saved me because in that moment I unmuted with him and I said, You've sent me to a gas station with an out-of-order Bitcoin machine,'" Fialka said. As the scammers grew angry, Fort Myers police arrived at her location after her husband called 911. "I got out of the car, ran to her, and she took the phone from me and hung it up and said, ' You're safe,'" Fialka said. Both women hope their stories will help others avoid falling for similar scams. "That really made us take a step back and think, wow, that's how fast it happens," Fialka said. "Next time, they can just come, come arrest me," Diamond said. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office stated that they will never collect payments over the phone. All fines and tickets are handled through the Lee County Clerk’s Office.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.
