A San Antonio woman was at work when a man claiming to be a police officer called with frightening news. He said she had missed jury duty and now faced arrest.
The caller told Kathy Bushon that a warrant had been issued and that she could avoid being taken into custody by paying a $6,000 fine.
When Bushon said she did not have that much money available, the man claimed he would transfer her to attorneys who could help.
He also warned her that she could not end the call until they found a solution. She realized the arrest threat had been a scam only after the call ended.
The Caller Used Fear to Stop Her From Checking the Story
Bushon said the man identified himself as an officer with the San Antonio Police Department, according to KSAT. He claimed she had failed to appear for jury duty and had an active warrant.
The caller then kept Bushon on the phone as the situation escalated. He directed her to a specific cryptocurrency machine at a 7-Eleven while remaining on the line. Bushon ultimately transferred $2,000 before the call ended.
The Federal Trade Commission warns that only scammers insist on payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, payment apps, or wire transfer services in jury-duty schemes. Cryptocurrency transfers can be difficult to reverse once the money reaches the recipient.
San Antonio Is Adding Warnings at Crypto Machines
SAPD is placing warning posters above Bitcoin and cryptocurrency ATMs across the city in an effort to reach potential victims before they complete a transfer.
San Antonio has also ordered businesses operating cryptocurrency machines to display a warning outside each kiosk. A business that fails to post the notice can face a fine of up to $500.
The city’s Bitcoin ATM scam guidance warns that victims are often pressured to act immediately and told to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM or send cryptocurrency to avoid arrest, fines, utility disconnection, or other consequences.
Bushon said stopping to take a breath and calling SAPD directly could have changed the outcome. Police urged anyone receiving a similar call to hang up and contact the department’s non-emergency line independently.
Check All Information Before Sending Money
San Antonio police said the department would never call someone and demand money over the phone. Officers also do not require payments to resolve warrants or missed jury duty claims.
Anyone receiving such a threat should end the call and contact the police department or court through a number found independently.
Suspected jury-duty or police-impersonation scams should be reported to local law enforcement, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov. San Antonio residents can contact SAPD’s non-emergency line directly if they need to verify a call or file a report.