Will County, IL – Residents are being warned about a new scam circulating in the area that uses convincing-looking fake arrest warrants to pressure victims into paying fraudulent fines.
According to the Will County Sheriff’s Office, one resident recently received an email and phone call claiming they had missed jury duty and that a warrant had been issued for their arrest. The scammer then allegedly demanded payment to avoid jail.
The sheriff’s office said the resident quickly recognized something was wrong and reported the incident instead of sending money. Officials noted the so-called “warrant” contained several red flags, including the name of Chief Judge David Godbey, who actually serves in the Northern District of Texas — not Illinois.
Investigators also pointed out that the email originated from a suspicious address ending in @usa.com. Legitimate federal government emails always come from .gov domains, never commercial email services.
The sheriff’s office stressed that it will never contact residents by email or phone to demand money for a jury duty warrant. Anyone who receives a suspicious message should hang up immediately and verify information directly with the courts or law enforcement.
“Stay alert, Will County — don’t let these scammers win,” the department said in its advisory.
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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