MORRIS COUNTY, N.J. — The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a nationwide phone scam in which callers falsely claim the recipient has an outstanding warrant and must make an immediate payment to avoid arrest.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, scammers impersonate law enforcement officers or employees and use spoofed phone numbers to make it appear the calls are coming from a legitimate local agency.
Officials said the callers often operate from outside Morris County or even outside the United States.
The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that it will never request private or financial information over the telephone or demand immediate payment to resolve an alleged warrant.
Authorities urged anyone who receives one of these calls to report it immediately to their local police department or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office by calling 973-285-6600 during business hours or 973-285-2900 after hours.
The Sheriff’s Office noted that its Warrant Squad may, on a limited basis, contact individuals who are overdue on child support payments, but only after official notification has been sent by mail. Anyone wishing to verify the legitimacy of a warrant can call the Warrant Squad directly at 973-285-6640.
Officials also offered the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud:
- Legitimate law enforcement agencies will never demand money or credit card information to avoid arrest.
- Be suspicious of callers who insist on immediate payment.
- Never provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers or email senders.
- Never wire money or provide debit or credit card information to someone you do not know.
- If you receive a scam call, gather as much information as possible, including names and phone numbers, and report it to law enforcement.
Residents can verify Morris County Sheriff’s Office contact information and services by visiting the agency’s official website.
