Broward County Sheriff’s Office warns of a “courthouse phone scam”

Fort Lauderdale, Florida – Broward County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning about a new telephone scam that has surfaced, where scammers are pretending to be deputies from the department and are using technology to display a courthouse phone number on the victim’s phone.

Last week, two incidents were reported where the fraudsters told the victims that they missed their court date and needed to pay a fine through an online payment application to avoid arrest warrant.

Broward Sheriff’s Office has urged the public to be cautious of such calls and immediately contact the law enforcement agencies or Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 to report such calls.

It is common for scammers to use impersonation tactics to gain access to personal and financial information of unsuspecting victims.

Authorities have warned the public to be extra vigilant and cautious when receiving unsolicited phone calls or messages, and to never disclose personal information or send money without verifying the authenticity of the call or the identity of the caller.

The department has advised the public to stay aware of such phone scams and report any suspicious phone calls immediately.