The U.S. Marshals Service is warning the public of a telephone scam involving a fraudulent caller contacting members of the public and alleging they, or their family members, have an active federal arrest warrant and demanding payment of fines.
Recently, there were reported attempts of a fraudulent caller who identified himself as a Deputy United States Marshal. This phony law enforcement officer informed the potential victims that warrants were being issued for them or their family member due to being absent from a federal grand jury they were previously summoned to appear before. The potential victims were then informed they could avoid arrest by paying a fine by electronic fund transfer or cashier’s check. The Marshals Service became aware of the scam after receiving information from several calls from alert citizens.
The U.S. Marshals Service is a federal law enforcement agency and does not seek payment of fines or fees via the telephone for individuals with outstanding arrest warrants.
The U.S. Marshals Service urges individuals not to divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers and highly recommends the public report similar crimes to their local police office. If you believe you are a victim of fraud, report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Also, you should report online, business or phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov.