Anita Baker -- The Warrant for My Arrest is a Sinister Plot

Anita Baker says she's the victim of a sinister plot which caused cops to get a warrant for her arrest.

TMZ broke the story ... a Detroit judge issued the warrant after the Grammy-winning singer failed to show up in court over a dispute with a home contractor.

Anita tells TMZ ... she hired Ray Smith Painting and Decorating in 2009 to repair the outside of her home which was damaged by a storm. The cost of the job was $75,000 ... she paid $60K up front.

Anita says the guy didn't even finish the job and what he did do sucked so bad ... she got up on a ladder and did the spackling herself.

The singer says the contractor had the nerve to file suit for the $15K balance ... problem was, she says she was in the dark because she never got served with legal papers.

When Anita was a no-show in court, the judge entered a default judgment. She says still had no idea a case had even been filed.

Fast forward to July, 2013. The contractor tried to haul Anita into court and grill her about where she kept her money, so he could go after it to satisfy the judgment. The contractor claims he slapped the notice on her front door. Anita tells us she was on tour and never saw a notice and doesn't believe it was ever placed there.

So Anita was a no-show again for that hearing, and on Wednesday the judge issued the arrest warrant.

Anita tells us she's in shock, saying, "I've never been in trouble with the law. I'm terrified."

She also says this isn't the first time someone has pulled this on her -- someone claiming to serve her with legal papers and then losing the case by default.

Anita's lawyer says he's going to court next week to get the warrant lifted and the default judgment set aside.