DeKalb DA warns about ‘warrant scam’ involving spoofed office number

August 21st, 2024

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston’s office said they’ve been getting calls about a warrant scam that involves someone spoofing the office’s official number.

“Multiple people have called the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney to report receiving a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be an investigator at the DA’s Office,” an announcement from the District Attorney’s Office says. “According to those who have reported the calls, the ‘investigator’ advises them that they have a warrant out for their arrest. The caller claims that they can take care of the warrant if they pay them a large sum of money, generally $1,000 or more.”

It’s all a scam, the District Attorney’s Office said. The phony “investigator” warns the victim that they have dispatched deputies to their house to arrest them unless they pay immediately. The scammer then tells the victim to take money out of an ATM and meet them in person.

People should definitely not do this, the District Attorney’s Office said.

“To make the calls appear legitimate, the scammers are ‘spoofing’ the main phone number for the DA’s Office (404-371-2561),” the DA’s announcement says. “These types of scams continue to happen all over metro Atlanta and follow a similar pattern. The scammers falsely identify themselves as being a court or law enforcement official and claim the recipient of the call must pay them a fine for missing jury duty or to avoid being arrested.”

If you get a call like this, call the police, the DA’s office advises.

The DA’s Office would also like to remind the public:

Arrest warrants can’t be resolved by paying a fine.
The DA’s Office doesn’t process court payments or fines and won’t ask you for checks, cash, gift cards or electronic payments.

This story was provided by WABE content partner Decaturish.