Atlantic County, NJ, Sheriff alerts residents about federal arrest warrant scam

Authorities in South Jersey are alerting residents about yet another scam that's making its rounds and this one involves you allegedly going to federal prison.

At least that's what "Lieutenant Chris Boyd" would have you believe — but he doesn't work for the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Joe O’Donoghue — who is a real sheriff — says scammers posing as law enforcement officers are calling people and alerting them that there's a federal arrest warrant out with their name on it and they'll be going to jail within 72 hours unless they pay a bond.

• As always, never provide any financial information over the phone. If someone claiming to be an officer asks for any type of credit card or bank account number over the phone, it’s a scam.

• If someone purporting to be an officer asks you to make an electronic payment at a Family Dollar, Walgreens, or other store, it’s a scam.

Jury Duty scam in Atlantic County, NJ

In addition to that scam, you should also remain alert for the "jury duty scam."

That's when you get a call saying you missed an appointment for grand jury service and a warrant or citation has been issued in your name.

Scammers have been going so far as to share some personal information with potential victims, such as previous addresses or phone numbers, in an attempt to sound like a legitimate law enforcement agency; such information can be found relatively easily online.

Once potential victims believe they are talking to real authorities, the scammers then ask for driver's license numbers or passport information.

If you receive such a call, immediately hang up and you can report it to the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office by calling (609) 909-7200.

• Questions regarding jury or grand jury service in Atlantic County can be answered by calling (609) 402-0100 x47930

Sheriff O’Donoghue says if a warrant was actually issued for your arrest, his office would not call you and ask you to turn yourself in — his officers would just come and arrest you.