With Tongue In Cheek Sheriff Explains Warrant Scam Happening Now

Wanted to share this from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page for those of you not on that platform. Here is what to do if you get a telephone call about a warrant out for your arrest.

This is Lt. Steve McDonald. He is a good cop and a very nice man who happens to oversee our Special Operations Unit. Lt. McDonald is NOT calling you to demand money for an outstanding warrant. That person is a SCAMMER and in no way associated with the Sheriff’s Office. If Lt. McDonald wanted to have you arrested, he would most likely not call you first. In any case, Lt. McDonald is probably busy doing something related to Special Ops, like making sure there is fuel in the helicopter or meeting with search and rescue volunteers.

This is the “warrant scam”. The caller will claim to be a deputy or police officer and says you have an outstanding warrant (most often for missing jury duty). The caller then says to you must have your warrant “lifted”over the phone or police will come to your location and arrest you. The scammer attempts to bully the money out of you by having you purchase a pre-paid cash card and providing the card numbers over to the phone to them.

What to do: Hang up and call the District Court (425-388-3331) and Snohomish County Clerk’s Office (425-388-3466) to see if you have an outstanding warrant.