MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an ongoing telephone scam in which callers falsely claim victims have an active arrest warrant for failing to appear for jury duty.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, scammers are using caller ID spoofing technology to make it appear calls are coming from the agency’s legitimate telephone number, (973) 285-6610, even though the calls are fraudulent.
Officials said the callers typically identify themselves as law enforcement officers and tell victims they have an outstanding warrant for their arrest. The scammers often pressure victims to remain on the phone and discourage them from contacting family members, attorneys or law enforcement to verify the information.
To make the scam appear legitimate, the callers may send fraudulent documents, including fake arrest warrants and other paperwork bearing official-looking seals, signatures or court information.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that law enforcement agencies will never demand payment to avoid arrest or resolve a warrant and will never instruct anyone to send money through Bitcoin kiosks, gift cards, wire transfers or other unconventional payment methods.
Officials also reminded residents that caller ID information can be manipulated and should not be considered proof that a call is legitimate. Legitimate court matters and arrest warrants are handled through established legal procedures, not by demanding immediate payment over the telephone.
Residents who receive one of these calls are urged to hang up immediately and avoid providing personal or banking information or sending money. Anyone uncertain whether a call is legitimate should contact the Morris County Sheriff’s Office directly using a trusted telephone number obtained from an official source rather than the number displayed on caller ID.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by the scam or suffered a financial loss is encouraged to report the incident to the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
The agency also encourages residents to share information about the scam with family members, friends and neighbors, particularly older adults, who are frequently targeted by fraud schemes.
