FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – A woman from Fort Lauderdale fell victim to a scam, losing $5,000, after receiving a threatening voicemail claiming there was an active arrest warrant against her.
The victim, who preferred to remain anonymous, received the voicemail on July 18 and saved it on her iPhone. The message was allegedly from “Captain William Schultz” of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, making it seem legitimate.
When she called back, the person on the other end confirmed the warrant and stated that she was required to appear in court as a main witness for a trial involving juveniles. The woman denied being subpoenaed or having any involvement in such a trial.
The scammer further deceived her, saying the warrants for her arrest amounted to $10,000, with a $5,000 bond under Florida statute 84301 for failure to appear.
To resolve the situation, the imposter suggested transferring $5,000 through Zelle to post bail for the alleged warrant. Believing the lie, she sent three payments totaling $5,000 before becoming suspicious.
The scammer then tried to extort an additional $5,000, instructing her to load the money onto a gift card at a local Walmart.
He demanded she stay connected via phone during the transaction, but she became wary and questioned his authenticity, which angered him. Fortunately, the second transaction failed.
Realizing she had fallen victim to a scam, the woman visited the Fort Lauderdale Police Department seeking help. The actual Captain Bill Schultz confirmed that multiple individuals had been targeted by this scam, and some had sent money to the fraudsters.
Despite discovering the truth, the woman lost $5,000 from the initial Zelle transaction due to fear and manipulation. She reached out to the scammer, urging him to return the money and expressing forgiveness. In response, he claimed to be facing consequences for his actions and thanked her for the “donation.”
She wants to see the scammers arrested and hopes to raise awareness about such fraudulent schemes. Authorities emphasized that government agencies would never ask for money through Zelle or Venmo and urged residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls and threats of arrest, advising them to verify the identity of callers before taking any action.
