An Ocean County resident narrowly avoided losing nearly $10,000 this morning after scammers falsely claimed she had an outstanding warrant that could only be cleared with a cash payment.

According to authorities, the woman received a phone call from individuals posing as officials who instructed her to withdraw cash and bring it to the courthouse to resolve the supposed warrant. After withdrawing the money, bank employees recognized several red flags associated with common fraud schemes and urged her to stop before handing over the cash.

The resident then drove to the courthouse to verify the claims in person, where she confirmed that the call was part of a scam.

Officials are now reminding residents that neither the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office nor the courts will ever demand cash payments over the phone to clear warrants or resolve legal matters. Authorities also stressed that they will never instruct residents to bring cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency as payment.

Residents who receive suspicious calls are urged to hang up immediately and verify any claims directly with law enforcement or the courthouse before taking action.

Anyone with concerns can contact the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 732-349-2010.