Federal authorities are warning of a scam detected in western North Carolina in which citizens are being served fake arrest warrants.
According to a U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) press release, imposters posing as law enforcement and court officers are using the fake arrest warrants to extort payments to financial institutions connected with the state of Utah.
“The documents may appear to be official looking and credible and may include names of actual judges, law enforcement officers and courthouse addresses,” the USMS said. “The scammers will tell the victim to send money to clear the warrants.”
The USMS said residents need to file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and contact the FBI if they’ve been targeted.
The USMS emphasized that it never asks for credit or debit card numbers “for any purpose,” and that one should “always authenticate correspondence” with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina’s clerk of court office to validate the court order.
‘More Sophisticated Jury Scam’
This comes weeks after the FBI Charlotte Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina issued a press release warning of a “more sophisticated jury scam involving fake arrest warrants.“The scammers call victims or send emails claiming the victims failed to report for jury duty and there is a federal warrant for their arrest,” the attorney’s office said. “To add additional credibility to their claims, the scammers either text or email a fake arrest warrant with the names of actual North Carolina federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors. The victims are told they can avoid jail time by paying a fine via a virtual currency machine or kiosk.”
The imposters made it look like they were calling from a government agency by disguising their caller ID, the attorney’s office stated.
“They may discourage victims from paying the fine in person, claiming the office is closed due to COVID,” the attorney’s office said.
However, the attorney’s office said authentic arrest warrants aren’t emailed or texted but instead “served in person by a law enforcement officer or court official” without a demand for payment.
“Individuals need to exercise caution and skepticism when receiving unsolicited phone calls, especially ones asking for personal information or payment,” the attorney’s office said. “The FBI recommends to never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers.”
