The voice on the other line may sound official and the documents might seem legitimate, but the Maricopa County Superior Court warned Valley residents not to be fooled by scammers requesting payment over the phone for failure to appear in court.
The court recently became aware of scammers requesting payment over the phone for failure to abide by a civil bench warrant, a warrant issued by law enforcement when a defendant doesn’t appear for a scheduled court hearing.
Scammers are posing as peace officers with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and calling Valley residents, threatening jail time for individuals who don’t pay the requested bond amount, said Vincent Funari, a spokesperson for the Superior Court of Maricopa County.
In exchange for payment over the phone via Zelle, a digital payment network that allows for the quick transfer of money between almost any U.S. bank accounts, the scammers offer to dismiss the civil bench warrant.
One man told officials he was asked to pay $1,450 for a civil bench warrant that was issues after he failed to appear in court as an expert witness, Funari said.
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How to know if it’s a scam
The Maricopa County Superior Court will never use Zelle to collect over-the-phone payments for civil bench warrants, Funari said.
“Scam perpetrators will do all they can to insist you stay on the phone with them the entire time,” Funari said. “This is a red flag.”
The court issues civil bench warrants when a person does not appear at a court hearing only after they have received actual notice of the need to appear. A warrant may be issued after someone who has been personally served with a subpoena to appear fails to do so, or for probation violations.
Legitimate notices and subpoenas to appear would include a warning that failure to do appear may result in the issuance of a warrant, according to the court spokesperson.
Any person with internet access can check to see if there is a warrant out for their arrest from the Maricopa County Superior Court by visiting the court’s warrant information website, which provides warrant-checking resources.
Additionally, Valley residents can call the Criminal Court Administration Information Desk at 602-506-8575 or the Arizona Department of Public Safety at 602-223-2233 to verify whether or not they have an arrest warrant.
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What to do if you fall victim to a scam
The Maricopa County Superior Court said anyone targeted by a scam should write down the phone number of the caller immediately and avoid giving out any personal information.
Never agree to provide any payment over the phone and contact a local law enforcement agency to report the scam as soon as possible.
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