SCAM ALERT: New ‘very convincing’ phone scam scares victims with federal warrants

HAMPTON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - The Hampton County Sheriff’s Office is warning locals of a new phone scam that sees callers posing as federal agents and court officials.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, “the scammers sound very convincing and claim that there is a federal warrant for your arrest for failing to appear in court.”

The HCSO says victims are told they must pay a ‘bond’ of $3,500 immediately to avoid arrest.

Victims are then instructed “to go to a local Walmart or use mobile apps such as Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, or Apple Pay to transfer the funds.”

Officials say the scammers are even sending fake documents, including a fradulent ‘United States District Court’ warrant and other “official-looking paperwork” to make the scam seem legitimate.

The Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, in a social media post, asks for the public to be aware of the following information:

• No law enforcement agency or federal court will ever demand payment over the phone or through gift cards, money apps, or retail stores.
• Legitimate warrants are not resolved with payment. They must be handled through proper legal channels.
• Do not send money, share personal information, or scan any barcodes provided by someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer or government official over the phone.
• If you receive a call like this:
• • Hang up immediately.
  • Contact the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office at 803-914-2200 to verify or report the incident.
  • You may also report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.

The scammers may send paperwork like the sheets below: