The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana has warned about scammers impersonating local law enforcement officers. These fraudsters are targeting professionals such as attorneys and healthcare providers, falsely accusing them of missing a court appearance as an expert witness.
Victims are threatened with arrest unless they pay a fake fine using cash cards or electronic payments. The scammers make their scheme more convincing by spoofing government phone numbers and using the names of real law enforcement officers, court officials, and judges.
Authorities stress that real courts and law enforcement will never demand payment by phone. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately.
Anyone who believes this scam has targeted them is encouraged to report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov and the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. More information is available on the FTC’s website.
Key reminders include:
- Real officials will never demand payment via cash cards, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps.
- Courts will not threaten arrest or demand fines over the phone.
- Never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers.
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