Police Warn Residents To Hang Up On 'Court' Scams

PLUMSTEADVILLE, PA — The Plumstead Township Police Department is warning residents about an ongoing telephone scam involving individuals posing as court officials or law enforcement.

In a recent incident, a resident received a phone call from someone claiming to be affiliated with a federal agency. The caller falsely claimed the victim had failed to appear in court, that an arrest warrant had been issued, and that she faced a large fine or jail time. The caller then instructed the victim to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM to avoid arrest.

Police said residents should remember that:

• Courts, police departments, and government agencies will never demand immediate payment by Bitcoin, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfer to avoid arrest.
• Legitimate courts will not call and threaten immediate arrest for missing jury duty or a court appearance while demanding payment over the phone.
• Never send money or cryptocurrency to someone based solely on instructions received by phone, text message, or email.

If you receive a call like this:

• Hang up immediately.
• Do not provide personal or financial information.
• Do not withdraw money or send cryptocurrency.
• Contact the court or agency using a publicly listed phone number to verify the information.
• And report the incident to the local police department.

"We encourage everyone to share this information with family members, friends, and especially older relatives, who are often targeted by these scams," police said. "If you believe you have been the victim of a similar scam, contact police as soon as possible."