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Fake police, FBI or sheriff calls: "There's a warrant for your arrest"
Updated . By the AskBeforeYouSend editorial team (how we fact-check). Fact-checked against the official sources listed at the bottom.
Key facts
- Scammers spoof real phone numbers, names and badges of real agencies, including IC3 itself (FBI, Sep 2026).
- Missed-court-date "warrant" scams: 6,833 complaints and nearly $36 million lost, Jan 2025 to Jul 2026 (FBI).
- Some scammers now use AI to appear as officials on video calls (FBI).
What it looks like
A made-up example. Scammers often use real officers' names and real office numbers.
How the scam works
- A caller says you're connected to a crime, missed jury duty or a court date, or that a license is expiring.
- They threaten arrest and keep you on the phone, telling you not to talk to family or your bank.
- They demand payment by prepaid cards, wires, crypto, cash in a crypto kiosk, or a courier who picks up cash.
Red flags
- Threat of arrest unless you pay now
- "Don't tell anyone, including your bank"
- Staying on the line the whole time
- Payment by gift card, crypto, kiosk, wire or courier
- A web link that ends in .com instead of .gov
What to do now
- Hang up.
- Look up the agency's official number yourself and call to check. Don't use the number the caller gave.
- If you paid or shared information, call your bank right away and file a report with local police.
- Report it to the FBI's IC3, with phone numbers and payment details.
Report it
Questions
The caller ID showed the real sheriff's office. Is it real?
Not necessarily. The FBI says scammers spoof real agency phone numbers and names. Hang up and call the agency yourself using its official website.
Can police take bail or fines over the phone?
The FBI says law enforcement will never call or text to demand payment, and will never ask for prepaid cards, crypto or a courier.
Sources
- FBI IC3 PSA: Scammers impersonating law enforcement and government officials in fraud schemes (Sep 17, 2026)
- U.S. Courts: Juror scams
- FTC: How to avoid a government impersonation scam
Example messages are made up to show the pattern unless we say otherwise. Phone numbers in examples use the fictional 555 range.
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