DENVER FBI warns of fraudulent federal warrants in Wyoming

CHEYENNE (WNE) — The FBI is warning of a scam in which people are presented with a fraudulent federal warrant and asked to pay fines to clear it up.

In a recent case in Wyoming, the targeted victim received a copy of a warrant via text message, saying there was a warrant for her arrest because she failed to appear as a prospective juror.

The warrant  appears to be a legitimate document, with a case number, date stamp, seal of the United States District Court for Wyoming and a judge’s signature. But this is a scam.

A federal officer will serve a federal warrant in person, or you might receive it by certified mail. You will NEVER receive a copy of a federal warrant via regular U.S. mail, and especially not via email or via text.

“The warrant scam has been going around for years,” Laramie County Sheriff ’s Office Public Information Officer Brandon Warner told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle via email. “The scammers are always trying to put a new twist on the warrant scams to make them more convincing.”

One victim in Wyoming followed instructions received via the scam text and lost more than $10,000.

If you think you have been a victim of this scam, report it at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi. Gov.

This story was published on March 13, 2025.