Jury duty scam costs Fort Bend woman $50,000 through Bitcoin ATM

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas — A Fort Bend County woman lost $50,000 after a scammer posing as a sheriff’s office captain convinced her that she faced arrest for missing federal jury duty, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.

The woman received a call Aug. 28 that appeared to come from the Sheriff’s Office. The caller identified himself as an FBCSO captain and told her she had failed to appear for federal jury duty and had warrants for her arrest.

The scammer warned the woman that she could be arrested if she went to the Sheriff’s Office and instructed her to remain on the phone while following his directions. She also received text messages with additional instructions and was told she was under a purported “gag order” prohibiting her from discussing the situation with anyone.

Fearing arrest, the woman withdrew $50,000 in cash from her bank account. She was then directed to a Bitcoin ATM, where she deposited the money through multiple cryptocurrency transactions to pay the supposed fines and fees.

The woman eventually became suspicious, stopped following the caller’s instructions and went directly to the Sheriff’s Office to report the scam.

“These scammers are deliberately creating fear and a sense of urgency to keep people from stopping to question what they’re being told,” Sheriff Eric Fagan said. “We want our residents to know that the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office will never demand money to resolve a warrant or avoid arrest. If you receive a call like this, hang up, verify the information independently, and never allow anyone to pressure you into sending money.”