Otter Tail County resident wired $5,000 to Anaheim in warrant scam
An eastern Otter Tail County resident wired $5,000 to an Anaheim address after a male caller using VOIP told her she had a warrant, deputies reported Feb. 15.
Otter Tail County sheriff deputies say a resident in eastern Otter Tail County was scammed out of $5,000 after a male caller using internet-based VOIP communications told the victim she had a warrant for her arrest. Deputies reported the incident on Feb. 15 and said the victim wired the $5,000 to an address in Anaheim, California.
The sheriff’s report does not state whether the Anaheim address was verified, whether the funds were recovered, or whether any suspects have been identified or arrested. Deputies did not provide a victim name, a case number, or the wire service used in the transfer in the material made available to news outlets.
Deputies characterized the VOIP calls as “a security risk,” noting the caller used internet-based phone technology to make the threat. That language mirrors warnings issued in other jurisdictions, where impersonation scams have pressured victims with claims of warrants or employer notification to produce immediate payment.
In Howard County, Maryland, a similar police-impersonation scheme led a man to withdraw $7,000 and deposit $5,000 at a bitcoin kiosk before contacting real police. The victim told investigators, “I think it was the threat of having a warrant issued and possibly being arrested, and possibly having my employer contacted.” Howard County Police spokesperson Sherry Llewellyn said such scams often use real command-level names and advised, “Regardless, we absolutely want people to hang up immediately and call us right away.”
Other recent cases show scammers vary the payment channels. In Washington County, Maryland, a man who downloaded the AnyDesk remote-access app later discovered five fraudulent Zelle transfers totaling $5,000. In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, a victim who searched online for smartphone support was instructed to buy more than $5,000 in gift cards and provide the card identifiers. In Pinellas County, Florida, deputies arrested two men after a caller posing as a Bank of America employee told a Tarpon Springs resident to seal $5,000 in a bag; Laurentz Simprevil and Steve Castamby (alternate spelling Catamby appears in records) were charged and later bonded out.
Otter Tail deputies’ description of the caller’s VOIP method places this case among a string of scams that use internet calling, remote-access software, gift cards, bitcoin kiosks, or in-person pickups to extract money. As of the latest local report, Otter Tail deputies have not released additional details on the Anaheim address, funds recovery, or investigative leads.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
