“You have a Warrant” Call: Hang Up! It’s a SCAM
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Crime Check have been receiving reports of the “You have warrants” scam again. ANYTIME someone calls you and demands payment (prepaid credit card, money, personal info) for a warrant or threatensyour arrest; it’s a scam. Law Enforcement or other government agencies will NOT do this.
This time, a predatory scammer called a potential victim and identified himself as “Sergeant Rosenthal”. She was told she had a warrant for her arrest. The scammer explained she could save herself a lot of time, and would not need to be booked into jail if she went to the courthouse with $1,500. She explained she didn’t have that kind of money, and she’d need to check if her mother could loan it to her. The scammer told her it would not be in her “best interest” to contact anyone about the conversation.
As she spoke with the scammer, she texted her mother about the information. Her mother replied, stating she had just received a call from “Lieutenant McNall” who explained her daughter had a warrant. He explained monetary amounts that would keep her daughter out of jail. When she began asking questions, the scammer hung up. Her caller ID fraudulently showed as Crime Check (509-456-2233).
BOTH of these calls were SCAMMERS trying to steal money from these potential victims. The only difference from previous scams, these scammers did a little internet research to provide realistic names, and even “spoofed” Crime Checks phone number to fool caller ID. It does not matter the names used or how “official” sounding these criminals are; it IS a SCAM.
(Spoofing: is when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust. If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.” Federal Trade Communications Commission: Caller ID Spoofing) FCC Consumer Video: Don’t Hang On, Hang Up!
DO NOT LOSE YOUR MONEY to these predatory criminal scammers who don’t care about you, your family, loved ones, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or acquaintances. They only want your money!
Please tell everyone you know about these scammer’s activities and don’t assume people know about it. That’s what they are hoping for, a victim they can scare because they haven’t heard about this scam.
To be clear, law enforcement (Sheriff’s Office, Spokane Valley Police, the IRS, or any other government agency) will NEVER call and threaten you with arrest or demand you pay fines over the phone. They WILL NOT demand personal banking information. PLEASE help us inform everyone in our community about these scams and share this information.
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Corporal Mark Gregory
Spokane County Sheriff’s Office
Spokane Valley Police Department
Public Information Officer