FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022
Warning: Fraudulent Phone Calls Regarding Witness Testimony Surface in the District of New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico has recently been notified of individuals being targeted with a contempt of court phone scam. The targets have been told they failed to appear for a summons to give witness testimony. The victims are asked to transfer funds to avoid having a warrant issued for their arrest. This scam call is fairly sophisticated, and the caller may use the names of actual court employees and judges of the U.S. District Court, as well as various law enforcement agencies. A call back to the scammer’s phone number may even connect the victim to a voicemail box that indicates the victim has reached the voicemail of the employee referenced during the initial call. The U.S. District Court will never assess a fine or penalty over the phone, does not accept payment of fines via payment apps or gift cards, and will not ask for sensitive information in an unsolicited phone call.
It is a crime for anyone to falsely represent himself or herself as a federal court official and such an offense is taken very seriously by the federal judiciary. Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide the requested information or pay any fines and should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at (505) 889-1300, selecting option #1 when prompted, to report the incident. In the District of New Mexico, the individual may also contact the United States District Court at 505-348-2000 to verify that there are no matters pending before the court in their name.
Stay current with the United States Courts - District of New Mexico by visiting
www.nmd.uscourts.gov
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