Kauai Police Warn Residents of Phone Scam Sending Fake Arrest Notices

Scammers impersonating Kaua‘i police are calling residents and telling them they face arrest for missed jury duty or unpaid fines unless they pay immediately, Kaua‘i Police say, and local outlets report callers are asking for cryptocurrency, prepaid cards or money transfers. Hawaii News Now, KITV and Spectrum News each detailed the payment methods and described them as untraceable, while the Kaua‘i Police Department is urging anyone who gets such a call to hang up and report it.

LĪHUʻE, The Kaua‘i Police Department’s GovDelivery alert says “fraudsters impersonate KPD officers and demand immediate payment to avoid arrest.” The department’s notice says the callers “claim to be KPD officers or other law enforcement officials, informing victims that they have a warrant for arrest due to missed jury duty or unpaid fines,” and that victims are pressured to pay a hefty fine to avoid arrest.

News reporting from KITV highlights a local impact on older residents, noting “scammers posing as police pressuring kupuna to send thousands of dollars”; that KITV coverage is by reporter Carly Yoshida. Hawaii News Now’s piece led with the warning that callers “demand payment in cryptocurrency to avoid arrest,” and Spectrum News used the term “spoofing” to describe manipulated caller ID that can make the calls look legitimate.

KPD and news outlets describe specific tactics used by fraudsters: callers may use real names, provide court addresses, or manipulate caller ID to appear as a legitimate law-enforcement number. Spectrum News explicitly notes caller ID manipulation (spoofing) as a tool scammers use to gain credibility during the calls.

KPD’s core guidance is direct and unambiguous: “Remember, KPD will never request payment of any kind for fines or legal matters. All official communications from the court, including jury summons, will be sent via U.S. Mail.” Hawaii News Now included the department’s public-action wording: “Anyone who receives a call from an individual claiming to represent law enforcement and requesting immediate payment should hang up and report the incident to KPD Dispatch at (808) 241-1711.”

Report any suspicious call to Kaua‘i Police Department Dispatch at (808) 241-1711; do not provide personal or financial information to callers you did not initiate. KHON2, Hawaii News Now, KITV and Spectrum have all covered the alert; the KPD GovDelivery release carries the LĪHUʻE dateline and is the department’s official advisory on the scam.