10/22/2024
PSA: BEWARE!!! Please pass this along!! I almost fell victim to this SCAM!!! This scenario is on the rise!!
I received a phone call from a number identified as Howard Cty Gov. I answered. The gentleman on the call identified himself by name and that he was a police officer. I was told that I have 3 misdemeanor citations totaling $5700 for a missed Federal Grand Jury summons. I was told that if I appear at the Howard County Police Department, I will have triggered the criminal process and I will be detained for up to 72 hours. I was told that I may choose to avail myself of the civil process. That will require obtaining $5700 in cash to prepay the bond. I was told to go to one of three “bail bond” machines, deposit the money and bring the receipts to the police station. Once there, I was to submit 3 examples of my signature. When it was determined that my signature did not resemble the signature on the proof of delivery for the summons, my prepaid bond would be returned. In reality, the “bail bond”machine is a cryptocurrency machine. The “red flags” finally started screaming at me. It took a while because of the overwhelming fear I had at the thought of being detained for up to 72 hours. “Red flags” like: do not hang up the phone, “you must remain on the line the whole time”, do not go to the police until the bond is paid, a cryptocurrency machine, using a number other than your phone number at the cryptocurrency machine. This morning’s event stopped when I used another phone and called the Howard County Police and asked about my “citations”. They told me it was a scam. I drove to the police department with the scammer still on the phone and confirmed it was a scam. After I hung up, the scammer had the audacity to try and call again in front of the police!!
THIS IS A SCAM!!!! No matter how legitimate it sounds. The caller will provide the victim with accurate personal information: the address where the summons was originally mailed. The caller will sound like he is trying to help you. The caller will identify himself with the name of an actual police officer in said police department. The phone number will appear authentic. The pressure applied by the caller will be overwhelming. The thought, that as a law-abiding citizen, one can be detained (for up to 72 hours) and one’s livelihood effected is paralyzing. This is why this SCAM has been so effective!!! Come to find out that I was not the only victim today!