Scammers are falsely posing as marshals or other federal law enforcement officers in an effort to extort money from potential victims, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
The scammers seem legit, according to a press release from the agency. They contact people by text or phone claiming the potential victims are facing arrest or other legal action for failing to comply with a legal obligation.
They often present fake documents including arrest warrants, subpoenas and court orders and instruct the victims to pay money to avoid arrest or other legal consequences.
One big red flag: those payments are frequently demanded via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency and other methods that are not traceable.
The Marshals Service says federal law enforcement officers will never contact people by text message or phone to demand payment. Officials advise the public not to send money or cryptocurrency, not to share personal or financial information and to report suspicious contacts immediately.
They also suggest people verify any claim by calling official numbers listed on government websites.
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