Crown Point, IN – Sheriff issues alert on fake warrant scam

Crown Point, IN – The Lake County Sheriff's Department is urging residents to exercise extreme caution regarding a new wave of scams involving phony arrest warrants. Fraudsters have reportedly been sending emails that mimic official legal documents to frighten victims into paying bail or fees to avoid purported legal consequences.

According to Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr., the deceptive documents are crafted to appear authentic, complete with forged signatures from local judges and court clerks. These emails often include references to "failure to appear" or "contempt of court" charges to heighten the sense of urgency. The scammers instruct victims to use common electronic payment services, such as Zelle or prepaid cards, to resolve the non-existent warrants.

The department emphasized that it never demands payment via electronic services. Sheriff Martinez stated that any communication requesting cash or digital payments to satisfy an arrest warrant is fraudulent. Residents are advised that legitimate legal processes do not involve immediate, anonymous digital financial transactions.

The Sheriff’s office has released a redacted copy of a fraudulent document to educate the public on what these scams look like. If you receive a suspicious email, do not send money, do not share personal financial information, and do not call any numbers provided within the fraudulent email. Anyone concerned about their legal status should contact the court system directly through official government channels.

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