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U.S. Marshals warn about fake calls scheming people out of thousands of dollars

Posted at 3:08 PM, Nov 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-15 17:01:02-05

NORFOLK, Va. - Right now and right here in Hampton Roads, U.S. Marshals say as of late, there have been numerous phone schemes taking place where people are pretending to be law enforcement officials and demanding money.

“The scammers are then telling the victims in order to avoid arrests or some sort of fine that they need to pay the caller over the phone. Whether it’s a green dot or some other form of transaction that they need to take care over the phone," says Deputy U.S. Marshal Chris Leuer.

To make the calls seem legitimate, the callers are using names of real law enforcement officers and even federal judges.

They're also spoofing the numbers so they seem like they're coming from the organization they are pretending to represent.

Leuer said in order for people to stay safe it's important to remember that “one big message we want to get out to the public is U.S. Marshals will never ask for your financial information or demand that you pay money over the phone to avoid arrests."