Scammers target Montgomery County, Pennsylvania residents, ask for Bitcoin to clear warrants
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- An email scam targeting residents of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is soliciting Bitcoin payments to clear outstanding warrants.
Both the county sheriff and district attorney put out a notice Tuesday with a warning: "That's not us, and we don't want your Bitcoin."
The scam emails purport to be from agencies like the "FDIC government office warrant division" with subject lines like "Montgomery County Sheriff office false claims division." Usually in all-caps.
The scam messages include multiple attachments including a warrant from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and another document with the logo of the FDIC and the U.S. Supreme Court seal. The fake documents say the matter can be resolved if the victim puts money into a "digital escrow" account using a Coinstar Bitcoin terminal.
One example document provided asked victims to send a "bond" of $5,000.
"All of these are false and fakes," a news release from District Attorney Kevin Steele and Sheriff Sean Kilkenny said.
"Montgomery County residents need to know that arrest warrants are never handled in this manner. No money is involved if there is a warrant issued for someone's failure to appear in court for any reason. A failure to appear warrant must be handled in a courtroom in front of a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas," Steele said. "Further, bitcoin is not a currency accepted by Montgomery County courts or any other entity associated with our criminal justice system."
Anyone who receives the scam email and worries it might be legitimate can contact the Montgomery County Courthouse at the main phone number, 610-278-3000 and ask for the sheriff's department. Calling in this way will avoid potentially returning the call to a spoofed number.
Anyone who has been a victim of the scam emails and sent money should call the Montgomery County Detective Bureau at 610-278-3368.
A spokesperson for the DA's office says several residents in Montgomery County have received the emails and reported them to detectives and at least one resident has given money to the scammers.