HOUSTON – Constable Alan Rosen is spreading the word about multiple reported cases involving a scam in which residents receive a phone call from a scammer presenting himself to be a Precinct 1 employee.
The scammer identifies himself as, “Deputy Scott,” but this person is not an employee with Precinct 1, Rosen said.
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The scammer allegedly tells the resident they missed their Federal Grand Jury date, resulting in a warrant for their arrest. He goes on to say they have two options to settle their warrant. The first option is to either serve 72 hours in jail or to pay and handle the warrant in civil court.
The scammer then provides the address to the agency located at 1302 Preston, so that after the resident pays off the warrant, the resident can come in and confirm with the office. This is a scam.
The scammer also instructs the resident to get a money order and give him the code right away.
Once they do, he continues to stay on the phone and will tell the resident that either the money was rejected and that the resident will have to get another money order, or that there has been another warrant located that needs to be paid for as well. The scammer will also ask for a photocopy of a driver’s license and asks for a social security number over the phone, according to Precint 1.
If the resident decides that he or she will serve the 72 hours, he will then ask for clothed and unclothed photos to make the resident think that they are avoiding a strip search at the jail. He will ask for the resident to send the photos to verified.citizen.gov@usa.com. Again, this is a scam.
Constable Alan Rosen and the Office of Precinct One Constable’s Office want to ensure the safety of all residents. Never share your personal identifiable information with unknown individuals. Do not fall for these scams. If you believe you have encountered this type of scam, please call our office at 713-755-7628.