On Wednesday, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office put residents on alert about a wave of phone scams in which callers pose as deputies or other government workers and insist people owe money for missing jury duty, an outstanding warrant, or bond for a relative. The whole script is built to spark panic and push victims into paying fast with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. Sheriff’s officials stress they will not call to demand payment or ask for gift cards or crypto over the phone.
According to NBC Chicago, scammers have even dropped the names of real government employees and spun multiple storylines, including missed subpoenas, unpaid fines, or a loved one supposedly in custody, to pressure people into paying immediately.
The warning is being amplified locally. Shaw Local reports the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who receives a suspicious call to hang up, refuse to send money, and verify any claim directly with the sheriff’s office using official phone numbers.
How the scam works
Scammers often spoof caller ID so the number looks like it is coming from a legitimate government line, then turn up the pressure and demand immediate payment using gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. The FBI has flagged those payment methods as hallmarks of government-impersonation schemes.
Federal authorities and consumer-protection agencies point out that courts and law enforcement will not demand instant payment over the phone. Instead, they urge people to treat any such call as a red flag and report it through official channels.
Real losses in the suburbs
Local police have already seen how costly these scams can be. One New Lenox man was talked into depositing $15,140 into a bitcoin ATM after a caller claiming to be with the sheriff’s office insisted a warrant had been issued for missing jury duty, according to Shaw Local. The case shows how fast fear can be converted into money that is nearly impossible to get back.
What to do if you're targeted
If you get a threatening or high-pressure call, hang up. Do not provide personal or financial information and do not follow instructions to buy gift cards or send cryptocurrency.
Instead, independently look up and contact the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office through its official website and phone numbers to confirm whether the claim is real. Report the scam attempt to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.FTC.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3, and notify your bank right away if you have already sent money.
