**CONSUMER ALERT** Congressman Patronis Warns Floridians of Fake Federal Warrant Scam Targeting Consumers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jimmy Patronis warned Floridians about a new scam involving fraudulent “federal warrant” notices designed to intimidate victims into paying money to avoid arrest. These fake documents, which falsely claim to be issued by the FBI or the U.S. District Court, have been reported in Florida and are being used by criminals posing as law enforcement. The scam letter orders recipients to pay bond amounts using Bitcoin kiosks, debit cards, or mobile apps to avoid arrest. Victims are threatened with jail time if they do not comply. The fraudulent document uses fake case numbers, poor formatting, and bogus signatures to appear official.

Congressman Jimmy Patronis said, “This is nothing more than a scare tactic by criminals pretending to be law enforcement. No legitimate government agency will ever demand Bitcoin, gift cards, or mobile app payments to avoid arrest. If you receive a notice like this, don’t panic, don’t pay, and report it immediately. Stay aware and call your local sheriff’s office if you are suspicious of fraudulent activity or file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.”

Red Flags of the Scam Document:

• Demands payment in Bitcoin or other untraceable methods.

• Lists fake case numbers and random phone numbers.

• Contains grammatical errors and suspicious formatting.

• Claims that individuals must pay immediately to avoid arrest.

What Consumers Should Do:

• Do not call the number listed on the document.

• Do not send money under any circumstances.

• Report suspicious notices to your local law enforcement.

• File a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.