New Court Appearance Fraud Scheme Surfacing in Florida

Clerk Crystal K. Kinzel has issued an alert to the community of recent fraud cases targeting Florida residents. Scammers are contacting residents through phone calls, claiming they are a judge and demanding payment for failure to appear in court.

The first case was reported in Martin County and potentially circulated in the 19th Circuit. The scammer claimed they were a 19th Judicial Circuit Court Judge, referencing a specific judge's name, making it seem as though the call was coming from a legitimate source. The 20th and 12th Circuits reported similar cases, where scammers claim the victim failed to appear in court for jury duty and must pay a fee to avoid executing an arrest warrant.  The Clerk’s Office of Inspector General hotline received two reports in the last few days, noting similar calls from fraudsters asserting they were from the Collier County or Manatee County Sheriff’s offices.  One complainant realized this was a scam before paying the demanded $3,000 payment, and another complainant is attempting to recover $1,550 in funds. 

Residents might remember a similar incident in January last year wherein the Collier County Clerk's Inspector General hotline received two complaints within 24 hours. In this fraud scheme, scammers asked residents to pay between $3,000 to $3,500 in cash to avoid executing an arrest warrant with the Collier County Sheriff's Office. Both complainants indicated that they received the suspicious phone call from the same phone number with individuals identifying themselves as either "Sergeant Jefferson" or "Lieutenant Cooper" from the Collier County Sheriff's Office.  In the most recent complaints, callers are using the names of actual law enforcement employees, attempting to make their claims appear more legitimate.

"Residents are advised to be wary of caller IDs and to never give personal or financial information over the phone to a stranger," said Crystal K. Kinzel, Collier County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. "Please remember that Florida Clerk's Offices will never ask for payment due to failure to appear in court for jury duty. If you encounter any suspicious calls, please report them immediately."

Clerk Kinzel's Office of Inspector General can be reached at 239-252-8412 or through the 24-hour confidential hotline at 844-ClerkIG (844-253-7544). Alternatively, you may submit a complaint online at www.CollierClerk.com.