A Key Haven couple sent $6,500 through Zelle after a caller claiming to work for the Seminole County Jail said their son had been arrested and needed an ankle monitor to be released. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says Johnay Monique Barnett, 37, of Roswell, Georgia, was transferred to Monroe County custody Tuesday after extradition and booked on one count of larceny, Local 10 News reported.
The alleged call came in December 2025. After the couple paid, the caller sought another $9,000; they declined and reported the incident, according to the Tampa Free Press. Monroe County detectives worked with agencies in Georgia and financial institutions during the investigation. Authorities say Barnett was identified through financial records and video evidence, the outlet reported.
A familiar impersonation tactic, with a different payment method
Monroe County officials have previously warned about callers impersonating law enforcement and invoking missed jury duty or criminal cases. In its coverage of that warning, CBS News Miami reported that scammers sought cryptocurrency or gift cards. The alleged Key Haven scheme involved a Zelle payment instead; the examples share an impersonation tactic but involve different demands.
A separate Monroe County case illustrates another variation, not a measure of how common these scams are: in August 2026, authorities arrested a Georgia man accused of impersonating sheriff’s deputies in a jury-duty phone scam and taking $22,450 from a Florida Keys victim, WSB-TV reported. In that case, the suspect was accused of meeting the victim in person.
How to report a Zelle scam
For people who use Zelle through a bank or credit union, Zelle advises reporting the transaction directly to that institution. The service also says scams and identity theft may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The couple refused the further $9,000 demand, but the reported $6,500 payment had already been sent. Whether Barnett acted alone has not been established.
