Oklahoma City warns residents about scammers seeking fake municipal court tickets

A common scam targeting Oklahoma City residents is on the loose again, and the city is warning people to be careful.

Victims will receive calls from a number that appears to be a spoofed or spoofed Oklahoma City Municipal Court phone number. Someone pretending to be a court employee or law enforcement officer will tell the person who answers over the phone that they must pay a fine or risk going to jail.

As with any phone call demanding immediate payment of money, anyone who receives such a call should hang up and independently verify the outstanding debt or penalty.

You can call the OKC Municipal Court at (405) 297-3898 during normal business hours to check if you owe the city any court fees or fines. You can also visit the court in person or check your case online at: okc.gov/court.

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As with any case in Oklahoma City Municipal Court, people with financial difficulties may request that a judge hold a hearing to determine their ability to pay. Judges have the discretion to waive or reduce fines, costs and fees for people who cannot afford them.

Scammers pretend to be law enforcement

Criminals often posed as local law enforcement when trying to steal people’s money.

Last month, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office reported that scammers were using real deputies’ names when calling residents. One of the names used was Jeremy McCain, who died in an automobile accident last year.

In our line of work, it takes a lot to surprise and disgust us. But this one did it. We’ve been warning you for several years…

Sender Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office Open Friday, October 25, 2024

There are also scammers Impersonated the Oklahoma City Police Department They have run similar scams, creating a fake memorial page and fundraising page for a police officer who drowned off-duty in July of this year.

SCAM WARNINGWe have become aware of a public group on Facebook that accepts donations in the name of the Civil Servant…

Sender Oklahoma City Police Department Open Friday, July 19, 2024

In September, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority issued the following warning: people were receiving text messages from scammers They say they owe a toll and ask them to click on a link. The format of the message and linked website is very similar to communications from OTA. Recently went cashless with the statewide rollout of PlatePay.

Scams use gift cards, Bitcoin and cash

One of the most common ways for a scammer to make money is by asking the target to purchase gift cards or prepaid debit cards purchased at a retail store.

No government agency will ask you to purchase a gift card.

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Some scammers may also persuade victims to visit a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency ATM. Once the cash is converted into Bitcoin and given to a fraudster, it is almost impossible to recover the lost money.

Depending on the nature of the scam, criminals may demand hundreds or thousands of dollars in US currency. Last year, an elderly Oklahoma City resident received a call from someone who said: your grandson was in trouble and he needed $12,000.

Finally someone came to his house to take the money. According to the Consumer Finance Bureau, money mules They may be recruited through online jobs or social media posts promising easy money with little effort. They may also agree to help a lover they met online or over the phone by sending or receiving money as part of a romance scam.

However, according to OKC Police, the victim’s caregiver and daughter were home at the time and thwarted the fraudulent attempt.

This article was first published in The Oklahoman: Scammers target Oklahoma City residents with municipal court scam