State Rep. Mike Caruso (R-West Palm Beach) received a shocking phone call on May 30th, informing him that a bench warrant was out for his arrest.
A person representing himself as Palm Beach County Lieutenant Brian Owens informed Caruso that he had signed a document stating he had been summoned for jury duty on May 9th, but failed to appear in court.
The failure to appear comes with hefty consequences. Caruso had no idea what Lieutenant Owens was talking about, claiming he had signed no such document. Owens then read his full name and address and said Caruso would have to come to the Palm Beach County sheriff’s department to take a cartography test to prove that his real signature wasn’t the same as the one on the signed document. He then said that there’s a fine that goes along with the fraudulent document and noted that Caruso could be arrested the moment he shows up at the sheriff’s department. It turns out that this very detailed call used real personal information, and the name of a real Palm Beach County lieutenant was fake. It was a scam that felt more real than the “you owe the IRS” calls many have received within the last few years. Florida Jolt spoke with Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, who says these scams are prevalent now, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI). Their department has become inundated with calls about these scams, which seem to be getting harder to control daily. The sheriff’s department has gone to the press to warn people. The criminals pulling these fake calls know what they’re doing. Bradshaw and Caruso want you to know about these insidious traps to protect you and your loved ones.
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The first thing Bradshaw noted is that these scam calls feel very real. The people pulling these off know what they’re doing and are smart. Young and old alike are falling for these scams. During Caruso’s “arrest” call, he asked for the lieutenant’s phone number and more information. There is a lieutenant in the PBC sheriff’s department with this name. Owens provided that info and then some. He gave Caruso two detainer numbers, which he asked him to write down, then sent him a text with the bench warrant arrest document, and proceeded to tell him what he needed to do next. “Owens” had a “gold old boy” accent and an answer for every question.
Sheriff Bradshaw first wants you to know that if a bench warrant is out for your arrest, no one is calling you to warn you. You will never receive such a call. When you think about it, an arrest is best done when there’s an element of surprise. The other common call people have received is a scam about owing money to the IRS. Caruso, a CPA, has informed many clients who have called him in a panic that the IRS will never contact you directly, ask you for a credit card, debit card, or gift certificate, and never meet you in a parking lot.
Bradshaw then warned about the latest AI scams you should know about.
We have all gotten a call from an unknown number that doesn’t say the now-common “scam likely” and said “hello.” Often, there’s a pause and we say, “hello hello..” Bradshaw says the moment there’s a pause, hang up. They may be trying to record your voice. The first hello, they won’t get you. Bradshaw says they’re not that persistent. They’ll move on until they get what they want. Why is this important to know? AI has become so sophisticated that your voice can now be recorded and manipulated. Bradshaw told a frightening story of a woman who got a call from a kidnapper, demanding half a million dollars for the return of her daughter. He then put the daughter on the phone. She said, “Mommy, help me. I’m scared.” The terrified woman called the police and then her husband. The husband had picked up the daughter from school, and the woman heard a manipulated AI voice.
If you get a call and there’s a pause, it’s fake. Hang up. If you get a call about owing money or an arrest warrant, hang up. These scams are getting more sophisticated. Older people are particularly vulnerable targets, but as evidenced by the child ransom story, no one is immune to being tricked. The important thing is to tell everyone you know about this. Awareness is the key to protecting yourself and your loved ones.
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