Good day everyone! Before I dive into this, let me give you a little background because it’s important to understand how convincing this scam really was —
NOW…. This may not be the newest scam out there but I never heard about it and I received the scam call myself recently.
I fell for about 70% of the story before seeing through the gaps of the scam so I want you to forward this post to friends and family as this is not a scam that prey upon the elderly and senior citizens, this is everyone and especially people from 18-40. But all need to read this.
I’ve been a credit expert for over 21 years, with a background prior to that in identity theft prevention and consumer protection. You can check out my bio and credentials at www.waynethecreditguy.com.
How the Scam Started
It was Saturday, August 23rd, and I was in my McKinney office working and speaking with a few clients. Out of the blue, I received a phone call from a man who sounded like he was in his 60s. He asked if I was “Wayne Sanford,” and when I confirmed with I am (NEVER say yes as I hear they record that and can use it to steal your information in other ways) , he claimed to be an assistant deputy with the McKinney Sheriff’s Department.
He told me that there was an active federal warrant/citation for my arrest because I had supposedly failed to appear for jury duty in federal court. I immediately questioned this, saying, “Wouldn’t I have to be notified of jury duty first in order to miss it?”
The “deputy” responded that the venue had been changed twice and it was most likely a clerical error and protocol’s have to be followed, but they had confirmation that I had signed for certified mail requiring me to appear. Since I live alone, I knew this was impossible — but he smoothly explained that mistakes happen all the time, and that based on my record as an “upstanding citizen,” this was likely just a technicality.
The Fake “Protocol”
Here’s where the scam got clever. He laid out a step-by-step protocol for resolving the warrant:
- I could post a bond to put the warrant on hold.
- A judge would then compare my signature with the one on the certified mail.
- If the signatures didn’t match, I’d get my bond money back.
OR
I take the chance of being arrested with the warrant then hire a criminal attorney to go through the process of vacating this warrant.
So far, it sounded complicated BUT it put in the fear factor which is what they want PLUS it literally sounds like government protocol.
He then said for the bond I would need to go to the Sheriff’s Department location, but that payment for the bond could not be made by cash or debit card. Instead, I would have to use a MoneyPak card, which he claimed was required because of a federal contract and that this can be obtained at a licensed retailor.
The Red Flag Moment
At first, I wasn’t familiar with what a MoneyPak card was. He again explained when I asked more detail about what or where is a licensed retailer then he elaborated examples of them such as Dollar Tree or 7-Eleven.
That’s when my eyebrow went up. Why would a federal court process payments through Dollar Tree or 7-11?
Still, he pressed harder. He told me I had to stay on the phone the entire time — including while driving — and warned me not to speed or risk being pulled over, since I had an “active warrant.” And even with him on the phone the officers would be required to arrest me due to it being a federal warrant.
Once at the “retailer” he would then set up the “ temporary warrant hold” based on the bail bond and I would tell him how long google maps would take me to get to the sheriff’s office and then said we will need to do some recording of information such as the validation code as I would be on my way to the sheriff’s office.
When I pressed further on the “what is a validation code” he talked around things in attempt to confuse or create more fear to try to distract me I assume.
Eventually after me saying I am not understanding the validation code phrase and to elaborate, he revealed that the so-called “validation code” was really just the MoneyPak card number and PIN, which would allow him to instantly drain the funds. That’s when I knew for certain it was a scam.
I paused then internally chuckled and said, Oh… “ did I ever mention my background is in identity theft”? knowing he was caught he tried a little more of a scare tactic and NOT ONCE raising his voice as that would be a dead giveaway to the scam but when I said I will call the main # and have them transfer me to your office and then he hung up.
Confirming the Scam
To be sure, I called the Collin County Sheriff’s Department directly. The woman who answered sighed after I laughed and told the story and said, “Yes, this is a scam we’ve been hearing about a lot lately.”
She explained that scammers are spoofing phone numbers to make it appear as though calls are coming from law enforcement. These scammers are so convincing that many people fall victim, losing hundreds of dollars (NOTE: my bond was “$395”)
Why I’m Sharing This Story
The reason I’m sharing this isn’t just because I nearly fell for it — it’s because the scammer was extremely convincing. His age, his tone of voice, and his detailed knowledge of “procedure” all made it feel real.
We are used to people calling with accents on these scams from your computer phone security, amazon security or he its us the IRS among others, all of those pretty easy to scam.
This scam is designed to prey on fear — fear of arrest, fear of legal trouble, fear of embarrassment.
I’ll also be discussing this further on the Prudent Money Radio Show with Bob Brooks in September. If you’d like to hear more, just Google his name and program to tune in.
Red Flags That It’s a Scam
If you ever receive a call like this, here are the warning signs to look out for:
- They insist you stay on the phone the entire time.
- They demand payment using prepaid debit cards, gift cards, or MoneyPak cards.
- They create urgency by saying you’ll be arrested immediately if you don’t comply.
- They refuse to let you verify their identity by calling their official department number.
Remember: No court, court representative or sheriff’s department will ever demand payment over the phone using prepaid cards.
Final Thoughts
With the cost of living rising and money tight for many families, the last thing anyone needs is to be scammed out of their hard-earned cash.
If you get a call like this in McKinney, Collin County, or anywhere in Texas (or across the U.S.):
👉 Hang up.
👉 Call the department directly using their published number.
👉 Report the scam to your local police and to the FTC.
( note, this most likely will not do anything but if everyone reports then something may happen).
Stay smart, stay safe, and spread the word so others don’t fall for this jury duty phone scam!
Wayne the Credit Guy
