Denver Sheriff Department, Denver County Court & Denver District Court Warn Community of Phone Scams
Deputy Sheriff Impersonator Running More Phone Scams
The Denver Sheriff Department (DSD), Denver County Court, and Denver District Court urge the community to be vigilant regarding an active telephone impersonation scam. The impersonator identifies themself as a current Denver Sheriff Deputy and sometimes confidently recites a fake badge number and false information. Victims have recently reported the following:
- The victim is told that a warrant has been issued for their arrest for not appearing in court after allegedly signing and submitting an electronic jury summons document.
- The victim is told that two warrants (1. Contempt of Court and 2. Failure to Appear) have been issued by a Denver County Court judge for failing to appear in court. The fines totaled $25K and the victim can turn themself in at the county jail or post a bond. The bond would be 10% of the fine at $2,500 cash.
- The victim may also receive a voicemail stating there is an important legal matter instructing them to call a phone number.
The victim is instructed that they will need to pay the bail amount to avoid going to jail. The phone number associated with the caller ID does not show up as potential spam and is very similar to the main phone number(s) listed on the DSD website.
The Courts will never call to collect a fine without first sending written documentation and urge people never to pay money over the phone to someone claiming to be a court representative. Likewise, a DSD deputy and other law enforcement officials will never call to request payment for failing to appear in court. A DSD deputy and
other law enforcement officials will never make contact by phone or suggest meeting on the street, at a store, or a jail facility for a cash payment and will never ask anyone to wire money. We ask the community to be aware of these recent fraudulent activities and alert others of this concern.
If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be a DSD deputy or other law enforcement official, please report the information to your local police department and notify the Colorado State Attorney General’s Office of the activity by visiting their website at https://www.stopfraudcolorado.gov. You may also call the Denver District Attorney’s Office Fraud Hotline at (720) 913-9179.
To check on whether you received a jury summons, contact:
Colorado Jury Commissioner’s Office for Denver:
- Email: DenverJury@judicial.state.co.us
- Phone: 303-606-2305
United States District Court, District of Colorado:
- http://www.cod.uscourts.gov/JurorInformation/JuryFAQs.aspx
- Phone: 303-844-3924
About the Denver Sheriff Department
The Denver Sheriff Department (DSD) is the largest sheriff department in the state of Colorado founded in 1902. DSD operates two jail facilities, the Denver Downtown Detention Center and Denver County Jail. DSD also provides security for the District and County court systems, state inmate transportation, extradition duties, fugitive, K-9 unit and manages the detainment of inmates receiving services at Denver Health Medical Center. Recognized by the National Sheriff’s Association with the Triple Crown Award, for achieving simultaneous accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the American Correctional Association, and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care demonstrates DSD’s commitment to employing best practices.
About Denver County Court
As Denver’s third branch of government, Denver County Court is the court where justice starts. It is our mission to serve the public by promoting the rule of law and administering justice fairly, efficiently, and effectively. The Court is committed to providing an environment that is safe, accessible, and respectful to all who come before it. Denver County Court handles more than 100,000 criminal and civil cases each year making it the busiest court with the highest caseload of any court in Colorado. In addition, Denver County Court has the most diverse bench in the state and one of the most diverse benches in the country. In 2022, a city-wide survey found that Denver County Court employees have the highest level of engagement in the city with 93.2% of court employees finding their work meaningful.
About Denver District Court
The Colorado Judicial Branch works to provide equal access to justice, contribute to public safety, and strengthen the rule of law across Colorado. Together, our courts and probation departments are committed to impartial and timely dispute resolution, support for families, litigants, and victims, client rehabilitation, and meaningful community engagement.