Nevada, IA – A fraudulent arrest warrant is circulating in Story County, and the Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to be vigilant against what officials describe as a sophisticated scam.
According to the Story County Sheriff’s Office, a concerned citizen alerted law enforcement Wednesday after receiving a suspicious document that appeared to be a legitimate federal arrest warrant. A closer review, however, revealed multiple red flags, including a demand for payment via a “BTC NCIC kiosk”—a fictional device allegedly accepting Bitcoin payments for legal fines.
Officials emphasized that no law enforcement agency will ever request payment through cryptocurrency or similar digital platforms. “There is no such thing as a ‘BTC NCIC kiosk,’” the sheriff’s office stated in a public notice on Facebook.
The fake warrant included fabricated details, including case numbers, bogus judicial signatures, and a listed fine of $50,000 for a “failure to appear” charge. Authorities confirmed that the formatting and language used in the document do not match any real U.S. District Court documents.
The Sheriff’s Office is urging anyone who receives suspicious legal documents or demands for payment to immediately contact law enforcement before taking any action. No financial losses have been reported as of Thursday morning, thanks to the vigilance of the reporting citizen.
Residents are reminded that legitimate arrest warrants will never come with upfront payment demands and are typically served in person by sworn officers.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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