VERONA, Wis. — Residents are being targeted by a phone scam in which callers impersonate Verona police officers, according to the Verona Police Department. The callers can make the department’s phone number appear on a resident’s caller ID and may use the names of actual Verona officers. They reportedly claim the person missed jury duty, has an outstanding warrant or could be arrested unless money is sent immediately. Scammers have directed targets to pay through gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency — payment methods that can be difficult to recover once sent. Verona police said the department will never call residents to demand money or threaten arrest over the phone. Anyone who receives such a call should hang up and avoid sharing personal, banking or other financial information. Residents who are unsure whether a call is legitimate should end the conversation and contact the Verona Police Department directly using its non-emergency number to verify the claim. Calling back through an independently confirmed number, rather than using contact information provided by the caller, can help prevent impersonation scams from escalating.