Don't Fall For This NC Scam That Threatens Arrest, Police Warn

CHARLOTTE, NC — Police are warning about a new scam involving threatening calls or emails saying the recipient will be arrested unless they pay outstanding fines with the North Carolina Department of the State Treasurer.

Scammers may demand prepaid debit cards sent to the Treasurer’s office as a way to prevent arrest, Charlotte police warned Wednesday.

“They’ll give you the [Department of the State Treasurer’s] legitimate mailing address and tell you that once the cards are received, the arrest warrants will be dropped,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a statement. “Before people mail the cards, they’re asked to call the scammers back and recite the numbers on the cards. The scammers then spend the funds on the prepaid card, putting you at a financial loss.

The scam is a new riff on existing IRS and bankruptcy court scams, police said. (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

The scam isn’t limited to phone calls, and could come in the form of a phishing email aimed at getting your personal information.

“They’ll claim that they received a package containing an ATM card with money stored on it in your name and will need your information, such as your phone number and address, to release the card to you,” CMPD said.

CMPD encourages residents to remember:

• No one from a government agency will contact you to threaten you with arrest.
• Scammers are using fear to push you into a panic and force you to make a bad financial decision.
• You should also never share personal or financial information via email or text message, which can be vulnerable to hackers.
• Never share information until you can verify who you’re in contact with.

If you are contacted by such a scammer, hang up immediately and report it to the NCDOJ’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or by filing a complaint online. You can file a complaint at this website.

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