US Marshals warn Nevada residents of fake-warrant phone scams

The U.S. Marshals Service District of Nevada on Thursday warned the public of a rise in phone scams in which criminals impersonate deputy U.S. Marshals and demand payment to resolve phony warrants, missed jury duty or missed subpoenas.

The scammers typically demand payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards, the agency said. The fraudsters impersonate federal officers to frighten people into making hasty decisions, such as surrendering payment information over the phone, and may claim that the target or a loved one faces a pending civil or criminal subpoena.

Officials offered a simple directive: Just hang up.

“No legitimate law enforcement agency will initiate contact with the public via a phone call informing them of an impending arrest warrant,” the agency said.

The Marshals Service said it will never request payment over the phone, credit, debit or gift card numbers, wire transfers, bank routing numbers or bitcoin deposits for any purpose. Officials advised the public never to share personal or financial information with unknown callers.

Scammers have grown increasingly sophisticated in making their pitches seem legitimate, according to the U.S. Marshals Service Western District of Washington. Some have sent emails containing counterfeit arrest warrants that mimic official court documents, complete with fabricated case numbers and a judge’s purported signature. The fraudsters may also recite the names of actual law enforcement officers, judges and other public officials to reinforce the deception.

The Nevada warning follows similar alerts in recent months elsewhere in the state. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office has warned that it continues to receive reports of scammers posing as deputies, supervisors and other government employees who claim targets missed jury duty, have an outstanding citation or face arrest unless they make an immediate payment. The Sparks Police Department has also warned of an increase in similar calls; in some cases, criminals use caller ID spoofing technology to make calls appear to come from a legitimate law enforcement agency or even from 911, Fox Reno reported.

Seniors who believe they may be victims can reach the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) for direct case management assistance, the Marshals Service said. People who suspect they have been targeted should also report the incident to their local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov.

For more information, visit usmarshals.gov.