Phone scammers impersonating Miami-Dade law enforcement officers are targeting college students in the area, demanding hundreds of dollars to clear fake arrest warrants.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and Miami-Dade Clerk of the Courts issued multiple statements about these scams and advised people to verify suspicious claims with their local clerk of the courts.
A University of Miami student who wishes to remain anonymous received a call at work from someone claiming to be with the sheriff’s office. According to the student, the caller told her she had missed jury duty and caused a mistrial, then said she had to pay two citations to avoid arrest.
The caller told the student to leave work and go to an address with two forms of identification: mail and a credit card statement.
These scammers can demand substantial amounts. In a July report, Local 10 News described a case in which a victim was asked to pay $15,000 in supposed bail.
“What made it seem believable was the fact that they had my information and the two types of citations sounded very real,” the student said. “They also gave me a badge number when I asked for it.”
The address the callers provided was also close to her home but she became concerned when the caller told her she could not speak to anyone about it without risking arrest.
After hanging up, she checked her jury duty status online and found that her request to be excused from jury duty since she is a student had been approved.
She plans to report the incident and wants other students to be cautious if they receive similar calls.
“Know that they can’t stop you from speaking with anyone, especially a lawyer,” the student said. “And also trust your gut and never give personal info out.”
Florida’s 17th Judicial Circuit, which serves Broward County, also issued a warning in July about the scams. The warning described scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and judges and threatening victims with fines or potential jail time.
People who receive suspicious calls should recognize the warning signs and verify claims before taking action. Students should be cautious of unexpected or suspicious calls and contact the University of Miami Police Department if they need help handling the situation.