Jan. 6, 2026 — Seattle — The U.S. Marshals Service in the Western District of Washington warned residents of scammers impersonating marshals and court officers who contact victims by phone or email claiming outstanding arrest warrants related to missed federal jury duty, subpoenas, or other offenses, demanding immediate fines via Bitcoin, wire transfers, or prepaid gift cards to avoid arrest.
The alert, stemming from a U.S. District Court warning posted on January 5, emphasizes that “neither the United States Marshals Service nor the United States District Court will ever call to request payment of fines over the telephone.”
Valid arrest warrants are only served in-person by law enforcement personnel. They are never served by any electronic method, such as email or text.
If you are contacted by someone who says there is a warrant for your arrest related to missed federal jury duty, subpoena or other offenses, do not make any payments to them.
Scammers spoof caller IDs to appear as calls from courthouses or agencies, provide fake badge numbers, case numbers, or names of real officials, and send fraudulent emails mimicking official warrants with forged judge signatures and Bitcoin payment instructions, according to coverage in the Seattle Weekly and Redmond Reporter, targeting areas including Redmond and surrounding communities.
The Seattle Times reported similar details, noting demands for Bitcoin or gift cards read over the phone. The newspaper shared the story on X:
Have you received a call or email claiming there’s a warrant for your arrest and asking you to pay a fine via Bitcoin? Scammers are trying to cash in. https://t.co/someurl
— The Seattle Times (@seattletimes) January 6, 2026
Officials advise verifying suspicious contacts by calling the U.S. Marshals Service at 206-370-8600, Seattle Clerk’s Office at 206-370-8400, or Tacoma Clerk’s Office at 253-882-3800.
Victims should report incidents to the local FBI office, file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, or submit tips to the U.S. Marshals at https://www.p3tips.com/USMS.aspx.
Such imposter scams are ongoing nationwide, with similar U.S. Marshals warnings issued in prior years, though this alert highlights recent activity in Western Washington.
