Scam Calls Say You’re Under Arrest — Unless You Pay
Will the police call you about a warrant out for your arrest? Not likely. Will they ask you to pay to avoid jail time? Definitely not.
Fake arrest warrant scam calls take many forms — but most follow a similar pattern. Fraudsters call claiming to be from a local sheriff’s office or law enforcement agency and demand payment to avoid jail time.
They may state that you missed a grand jury hearing, jury duty, or court date, or that you’ve been connected to a crime, purchased illegal merchandise, or engaged in illegal online activities.
In some cases, you may be “transferred” to another more senior law enforcement officer — such as a supervisor, U.S. Marshal, or FBI agent — or may even receive photos of a falsified warrant via email or text with your name on it.
Ultimately, a scammer’s goal will always be to get potential victims to pay them, either via an electronic transfer, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, gift cards or prepaid debit card, or by giving cash to a delivery driver.
In short: As soon as someone claiming to be a police officer asks for payment over the phone or text messages, you can be sure it’s a scam.
What To Do If You Receive a Fake Arrest Warrant Phone Scam Call:
Do not provide personal information. Scammers may already know information about you — but don’t give them more to work with, including your home address, employment information, or sensitive identifiers, such as your Social Security number (SSN).
Never send payments or supply account details. Police will never demand payment over the phone or ask for payment via alternative methods, such as gift cards or cash.
Ask for details — and write them down. Get the caller’s name, badge number, and details of the outstanding warrant. Remember, scammers can use spoofing technology to trick your caller ID into showing a police department’s actual phone number.
Hang up and contact your local police. Use your local law enforcement office’s non-emergency line to contact the actual police and explain what happened. They’ll be able to tell you for certain if the phone call was legitimate.
Block and report the scammer’s phone number. Take screenshots of any fake arrest warrants or chats and then block and report the scammer’s phone number so they can’t target you again.
Warn your friends and family. Fraudsters may attempt to contact people you know — warn them that you’ve been targeted and tell them not to fall for a similar scam.
If You Accidentally Paid a Scammer:
Try to cancel the transfer by contacting the payment processor — such as your bank, a payment app like Venmo or Zelle, the wire processor, or gift card merchant.
Contact your bank’s fraud department to report the crime and cancel compromised cards and accounts.
If you suspect your identity has been stolen, file an official identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov.
Continue to monitor your financial and other online accounts for signs of fraud.
What To Do If You Receive a Fake Arrest Warrant Phone Scam Call:
Do not provide personal information. Scammers may already know information about you — but don’t give them more to work with, including your home address, employment information, or sensitive identifiers, such as your Social Security number (SSN).
Never send payments or supply account details. Police will never demand payment over the phone or ask for payment via alternative methods, such as gift cards or cash.
Ask for details — and write them down. Get the caller’s name, badge number, and details of the outstanding warrant. Remember, scammers can use spoofing technology to trick your caller ID into showing a police department’s actual phone number.
Hang up and contact your local police. Use your local law enforcement office’s non-emergency line to contact the actual police and explain what happened. They’ll be able to tell you for certain if the phone call was legitimate.
Block and report the scammer’s phone number. Take screenshots of any fake arrest warrants or chats and then block and report the scammer’s phone number so they can’t target you again.
Warn your friends and family. Fraudsters may attempt to contact people you know — warn them that you’ve been targeted and tell them not to fall for a similar scam.
