CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore -- Clackamas County sheriff's deputies urge people to "just hang up" on phone scammers targeting residents during the holidays.

The sheriff's office has received nearly daily calls during the past month from victims reporting scammers threatening large fines and arrests.

"No law enforcement agency will ever call you and ask you for money," said Clackamas County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Ross Clemson.

The sheriff's office shared an audio recording with KGW of someone impersonating one of their captains.

The recording begins: "Hi, this is Lt. Kevin Thies with the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office. I'm trying to make initial contact with..."

It continues: "We received some important legal documentation that will require your immediate attention."

Investigators said this fake call sounds obvious to them but can be serious for others.

"It doesn't even sound like him," Clemson said, "but to someone on the other end, it sounds legitimate."

He said fraudulent callers often make threats about warrants and impending arrests.

"It's intimidating to get a phone call like that, saying they've got a warrant for your arrest; and if you come to the sheriff's office, you're going to be taken into custody."

The owner of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Happy Valley said his business was targeted this summer.

A caller, claiming to be from "corporate," demanded two young female employees take all the money from the cash register, close the shop and transfer $1,000 to him via prepaid debit cards.

The scammer claimed the shop owner was under investigation for using counterfeit money.

"They told my employees you can't tell the owner about this, it's a very serious thing," said store owner Mike C., who asked not to be fully identified.

Mike said the young employees cried as they went to two stores to put the money on the cards, as the scammer demanded.

"They were terrified about going to jail... terrified about losing their job," Mike said.

A parent who noticed their daughter was in downtown Portland, rather than at work in Happy Valley, called the store owner hours after the ordeal began.

"I told them (the employees) I'm not mad at you," Mike said. "Every day is a life lesson for us."

No arrests have been made.

"These people are really hard to catch," Clemson said. "A lot of what they do is web-based and technical."

He said people move quickly this time of year and don't pay attention to what's in front of them.

"These scam artists are just that," Clemson said. "They are artists and really good at what they do."