LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i officials are warning the public about scammers, who contact residents claiming to be government officials and try to convince them to part with their money.
The scam involves callers posing as U.S. Marshals Service personnel. Scammers notify potential victims that they have an active warrant for their arrest and the only way to avoid going to jail is by paying a large “fine.”
“These calls are not legitimate. If you receive a phone call like this, do not give them your credit card number, financial or personal information,” said Assistant Chief Kalani Ke of the Kaua‘i Police Department (KPD).
According to the, scammers may use real information about the victim, such as court addresses and or names of court of law officials to make the scam appear credible.
“Please immediately report it to the Kaua‘i Police Department and block the number if possible,” Ke added.
Some preventative facts to keep in mind from the U.S. Marshals Service on phone scams are as follows:
• Keep in mind the court will always send a jury summons by U.S. Mail.
• The courts and any law enforcement official will never demand any payment over the phone.
• Any prospective juror who disregards a jury summons will be contacted through the mail by the court clerk’s office and may, in certain circumstances, be ordered to appear before a judge. Such an order will always be in writing and signed by the judge.
• A fine will never be imposed until after the individual has appeared in court and has been allowed to explain his or her circumstances. If a fine is imposed, it will be in open court and reduced to writing (and will not be payable by gift card number).
If you believe that you’ve been a victim of a scam, immediately report the incident to KPD Dispatch at 808-241-1711.
“All reports are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated. We greatly appreciate the community’s help in remaining vigilant and reporting these kinds of fraudulent calls,” Ke said.
