Fake Warrant Scam

DATE & TIME: 03-22-2019 @ 11:15 am

LOCATION: Wymore, Nebraska

OFFENSE: Fake Warrant Scam

CASE #: 2019-1401

At approximately 11:11 am, the Wymore chief of police contacted a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator to inform him of a scam phone call currently underway in Wymore at the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel. The police chief briefed the deputy then had one of his officers dispatched to the business in Wymore where the scam was ongoing.

At the same time, the sheriff’s office investigator contacted the victim by telephone. She stated a male had called her from 402-409-0071 and stated a Gage County judge had issued a warrant for her arrest for failure to show up for jury duty. He stated the name of the jurist, who is an actual Gage County judge, however the victim became very suspicious and began questioning the suspect, since she knows several law enforcement officers and did not recognize his name or voice. 

The suspect had extensive personal information on the victim and told her if she hung up, she would be immediately arrested, however she could get a “government voucher” that would give her a 24 hour reprieve from arrest. At around this time she was already speaking with the Wymore police chief and the Gage County investigator and was aware this was an attempt to defraud her. It is believed the next steps the suspect would take would be for her to make a payment of some kind for the government voucher, however, since she was in contact with law enforcement, she never lost any money. The Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator suggested she contact her bank to have them monitor her accounts and credit cards and to check her mail for fraudulent accounts opened in her name. She was also referred to the Gage County Sheriff’s Office website http://www.gagecountysheriff.us/ and the link on the website to the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftc.gov/ for more reporting options.

Immediately prior to this report, another funeral home in Beatrice had reported a similar incident to the sheriff’s office. Southeast Communications was made aware of the first report, then was used in dispatching the Wymore Police Department to the second call.

If you receive one of these types of calls, call the local police department or the Gage County Sheriff’s Office for verification of any type of warrant. A red flag is if the suspect calling requests, allows, or demands payment over the telephone in lieu of an arrest on a warrant. That is not a legitimate procedure when dealing with persons who have a warrant for their arrest.

If you want to report this type of incident, contact the local police department or call the Gage County Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with an investigator.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310