Don’t be scammed by fake U.S. Marshal
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Some people claiming to be U.S. Marshals or federal court employees are calling innocent people to scam victims out of money and gift cards.
The U.S. Marshals Service says it is a nationwide scam. The usual scheme involves telling the victim they missed jury duty and will be arrested or fined. The caller may claim to be a judge, a court officer, a sheriff’s deputy, or a deputy U.S. Marshal. One of the names being used is Officer Whitlock.
“This can be a frightening phone call to receive,” Ronald Miller, U.S. Marshal for the District of Kansas, said in a news release. “The scammers appear well prepared. They have the names and addresses of their potential victims.”
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The fake marshal will demand payment of a fine in cash, a gift card, or credit or debit card information. The victim is told to give cash or gift cards to a courier or to drop the payment off at a location.
The fraudsters provide the real names and addresses of judges, court personnel, and the name of the U.S. Marshal for the federal district, information that is available to anyone in the public.
“Kansas has seen this scam several times,” Miller said. “While several attempts throughout Kansas have been unsuccessful, it is unknown how many times it has been successfully employed, and the victim did not report it.”
If you get one of these phone calls, Miller says you should not provide the caller with any information. Assume it is a scam.
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“Do not pay them anything,” he said. “Federal officials will never request money or banking information from jurors. To verify authenticity of the call, contact the office of the U.S. District Court Clerk directly.”
Miller said federal courts only use the U.S. Postal Service to send jury summons. If a federal court employee calls a prospective juror, the employee will never request payment or banking information.
“Fines are never imposed until after an individual appears in court to discuss the jury absence with the judge,” Miller said. “If a fine is imposed, it will be in open court and not over the phone.”
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