A phone call that appears to come from law enforcement can be enough to make almost anyone pay attention. Add a real employee’s name, a threat of arrest and instructions not to hang up, and the pressure can become frighteningly convincing.

That is exactly the kind of scheme the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office (FBCSO) is warning families in Cinco Ranch II and across Fort Bend County about after one local woman lost $50,000 in a jury duty scam.

The Sheriff’s Office says scammers are increasingly impersonating law enforcement officers, bail bondsmen and attorneys while creating a false sense of urgency designed to keep victims from stopping long enough to check whether the story is real.

And FBCSO has one message it wants residents to remember: the Sheriff’s Office will not demand money to clear a warrant, resolve a legal matter or prevent an arrest.

Fort Bend County Woman Lost $50,000 After Caller Threatened Arrest

According to FBCSO, a Fort Bend County woman received a call on Aug. 28 that appeared to come from the Sheriff’s Office.

The caller identified himself as an FBCSO captain and told her she had failed to appear for federal jury duty and now had warrants for her arrest.

The scam became increasingly elaborate.

The caller warned the woman that she could be arrested if she went to the Sheriff’s Office. She was instructed to stay on the phone and received text messages with additional directions. The caller also claimed she was under a “gag order” and could not discuss what was happening with anyone else.

Fearing arrest, the woman withdrew $50,000 in cash from her bank account. She was then directed to a Bitcoin ATM and instructed to deposit the money through multiple cryptocurrency transactions to supposedly pay fines and fees.

She eventually became suspicious, stopped following the caller’s directions and went directly to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office to report what had happened.

“These scammers are deliberately creating fear and a sense of urgency to keep people from stopping to question what they’re being told,” Sheriff Eric Fagan said. “We want our residents to know that the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office will never demand money to resolve a warrant or avoid arrest. If you receive a call like this, hang up, verify the information independently, and never allow anyone to pressure you into sending money.”

Jury Duty Scams Can Sound Surprisingly Convincing

In a typical jury duty scam in Fort Bend County, a caller tells the intended victim that he or she missed jury service and must immediately pay a fine to avoid arrest.

Scammers may provide an officer’s name, badge number or other information that sounds official. In some cases, they use the name of an actual FBCSO employee.

Residents should also know that the phone number appearing on caller ID does not necessarily prove where a call originated. FBCSO has previously warned that scammers may use legitimate employee names and local information to make fraudulent calls seem authentic. The agency issued similar public warnings about jury summons and warrant-related scams in both 2024 and 2025.

For families in Cinco Ranch II, that means even a call displaying a familiar Fort Bend County number should be independently verified if the person on the other end begins demanding money or threatening immediate arrest.

Bail Bond Scams Target Concern for Family Members

FBCSO is also warning residents about bail bond scams, which take a different emotional approach.

Instead of threatening the person answering the phone, the scammer may claim that a child, grandchild, spouse or other loved one has been arrested and needs money immediately to get out of jail.

The caller may pretend to be a bail bondsman, attorney or law enforcement officer.

Victims can then be pressured to send money through Zelle, Cash App, gift cards, Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or other payment methods that can be difficult or impossible to reverse.

The best response is to end the call and verify the story independently. Residents can contact the law enforcement agency or detention facility directly using a phone number they locate themselves rather than calling a number provided by the person demanding payment.

Warning Signs of a Law Enforcement Impersonation Scam

FBCSO is asking residents to remember several basic rules that can help stop a scam before money changes hands.

The Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office will never call or email demanding payment to resolve a warrant, legal matter or avoid arrest. Only a judge can impose a fine.

Residents should also be suspicious whenever someone demands immediate payment by gift card, Zelle, Cash App, Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or another hard-to-recover method.

A caller’s name, badge number or caller ID should not be treated as proof that the person is legitimate. If someone claims to represent law enforcement, residents can hang up and call the agency directly using an independently verified number.

Perhaps most importantly, FBCSO advises residents not to allow threats or urgency to prevent them from checking the facts.

FBCSO Launches “Scam Sunday” to Help Fort Bend County Families

To give residents another tool against evolving fraud schemes, FBCSO is launching a new public education campaign called “Scam Sunday.”

Each Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office plans to share information about current and emerging scams, common warning signs and practical ways families can protect themselves.

The campaign could be especially useful because scams frequently change their scripts. One week the story may involve jury duty. Another may involve a relative in jail, an unpaid warrant or another supposed emergency.

But the pressure tactics are often similar: act immediately, don’t tell anyone and send money before you have time to verify the claim.

Sharing those warning signs within families can make a difference. Residents in Cinco Ranch II may want to discuss these scams with parents, grandparents, young adults and anyone else who might be caught off guard by a convincing phone call.

What Should You Do If You Receive a Suspicious Call?

If a caller claims to be from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and demands money, hang up.

Do not provide financial information, do not send payment and do not continue following the caller’s instructions simply because the person knows your name, address or other personal details.

Residents can contact the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office at 281-341-4665 for non-emergencies. Call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

The Sheriff’s Office is located at 1840 Richmond Parkway in Richmond.

For families throughout Fort Bend County, the latest case is a reminder that today’s scams are not always easy to spot at first. A few minutes spent independently checking a frightening claim could prevent a devastating financial loss.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for additional Fort Bend County public safety alerts, scam warnings and information that can help local families protect themselves.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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