Sumter, South Carolina police say scammers are using fake warrants and a real officer's photo to demand crypto for missed jury duty. Here is how to spot it.
Police in Sumter, South Carolina, say a scam is spreading in which callers claim you missed jury duty and demand payment in cryptocurrency. The Sumter Police Department reported a spike in these calls. Cryptocurrency is a form of digital money. No real police agency asks for it to clear a warrant.
The tricks are built to look official. Police say the scammers use flyers made with artificial intelligence that show a fake warrant. The flyers include the department's phone number and a photo of an actual officer. Police say no legitimate law enforcement agency makes arrests this way.
That means a real phone number or a real face on a document proves nothing. Anyone can copy them.
Anyone who gets a call or flyer about a warrant or jury duty should be wary, especially people in the Sumter area. A caller who threatens arrest and asks for crypto is the clearest warning sign. If you are not sure, the alert box above lists what to do, including how to check the claim safely and who to call if you already paid.
The police report does not say how many calls were made, how many people paid, or how much money was lost. It also does not say who is behind the scam or whether it has reached other areas. Scams like this tend to move from town to town, so it is worth knowing the pattern wherever you live.
A caller who threatens arrest over jury duty and wants crypto is a scammer, so hang up and call the police yourself.
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