NORRISTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — The crooks operating an arrest warrant email scam out of Montgomery County are after cryptocurrency, say officials there. The district attorney and sheriff are warning residents about the new scheme.
An email is sent, announcing an arrest warrant has been issued for failing to appear in court. It requests money to dismiss the warrant. The recipient is instructed to put money into a “digital escrow” via a Coinstar bitcoin terminal.
Documents that appear to be coming from the U.S. District Court astern District of Pennsylvania, FDIC, and the U.S. Supreme Court are attached to the email.
D.A. Kevin Steele says money is never involved if there is a warrant issued for someone’s failure to appear in court for any reason. A failure to appear warrant must be handled in front of a Common Pleas judge.
He adds, bitcoin is not a currency accepted by Montgomery County's criminal justice system.