BOISE — Ada County Sheriff’s Office issues a warning to the latest trick by phone scammers involving fake civil judgment or federal arrest warrant.
Ada County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies would never call and threaten to arrest anyone because they have an outstanding civil judgment — or missed jury duty — or have a federal arrest warrant — or anything like that. Deputies will also never ask to place funds for payment on a pre-paid credit card to “cancel the arrest warrant” for the fake civil judgment or having a phony federal arrest warrant, or some other made-up charge.
The scammers are now targeting the Ada County and Canyon County residents by using phone numbers with a 208 area code and use the names of current ACSO employees or Nampa Police officers to sell the ruse. The most prevalent version of the scam used to be about missing jury duty, but the latest version involves phony civil judgments, said officials.
In reality, if one of our deputies had to file a civil judgment, they would try to find you in person and leave cards with call-back numbers on them several times before calling – and that would be to set up a meet so they can serve the judgment. The deputies will never ask you to wire or transfer money electronically. That is a sure sign of the scam.
Nampa Police also said they do not take payments for warrants; they will take you to jail on the warrant. They also don't call ahead to warn on a warrant.
The Better Business Bureau is aware of the scam and says people can protect themselves from becoming victims of identity theft by never giving out any personal information when getting an unsolicited phone call.
If you have received one of these scam phone calls, contact the Ada County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 377-6790 or the Better Business Bureau for more info.
