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What to do if…
you receive a message claiming a warrant will be issued if you do not respond by a deadline

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Do not pay or provide personal information through an unexpected call, email, text, or payment link. End the contact and independently verify the claim through the named court or agency using an official website or a public phone number you find yourself.

Do not do these things

  • Do not pay through an unexpected caller, message, or link to “stop a warrant” or “clear a warrant,” especially by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, payment app, or prepaid card.
  • Do not use the callback number, email address, website, or payment link in the message as your only verification route.
  • Do not stay on the line with someone pressuring you to act immediately or threatening arrest unless you comply.
  • Do not share your Social Security number, date of birth, bank details, passwords, or copies of identification with an unexpected caller, sender, or texter.
  • Do not click links or open attachments from an unexpected court, police, or agency message.
  • Do not ignore a known court date, summons, supervision requirement, bail condition, or filing deadline. Verify it promptly through an independent official route.

What to do now

  1. Save the message. Keep the voicemail, email, text, envelope, or screenshot. Write down the claimed court or agency, the deadline, the callback number, the email address, and any case or warrant number.
  2. End the contact. Hang up or stop replying. A demand to stay on the line, pay immediately, or provide sensitive information to avoid arrest is a reason to pause and verify independently.
  3. Check the claim through a separate official route. Do not use a URL supplied by the unexpected caller or sender. Navigate to an official court or agency website independently, or use a public number you independently find.
    • For a federal court or federal jury-duty claim, use the U.S. Courts Federal Court Finder and call the relevant Clerk of Court or jury office using the public number listed there.
    • For a state or local court claim, find the court through an official state or local judiciary website and call the publicly listed clerk’s office.
    • If a law-enforcement agency is named, independently find its public phone number and ask whether the communication is genuine and which court or office can verify the claim.
  4. Ask what can be confirmed. Ask what the office can confirm and how to verify any claimed record, notice, or deadline through an official route. Do not discuss the underlying facts of a case with an unexpected caller.
  5. Get legal help promptly if the issue may be real. This matters especially if you know about a missed hearing, an existing criminal case, probation, pretrial supervision, or a bail condition. Contact your existing lawyer or a criminal defense lawyer. If you may need appointed counsel, ask the court or a local defender office how that works in your area.
  6. Report a suspected scam. File a report with the FTC. If the scam was cyber-enabled, such as an email, online message, or internet-based payment instruction, you can also file an IC3 complaint. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. For a non-emergency impersonation report, use a local law-enforcement public number that you find independently.
  7. Act quickly if you already paid or shared information. Contact your bank, card issuer, or payment provider. Follow the FTC recovery steps. If your Social Security number or identification information may have been exposed, consider a credit freeze or fraud alert using the FTC guidance.

What can wait

  • You do not need to explain your whole situation to the unexpected caller or sender.
  • You do not need to decide your full legal strategy before you verify whether the message is genuine.
  • You do not need to negotiate, make a payment, or provide documents through the contact details in the message.
  • You do not need to respond to repeated pressure while you move to independent official channels.

Important reassurance

Impersonation scams can look convincing and may use official-sounding names, case numbers, websites, or caller ID information. Pausing the contact and verifying through a separate public route gives you a safer way to find out what is real without making an irreversible decision under pressure.

Scope note

These are first steps only. If the issue is genuine or connected to an existing legal matter, later decisions may need advice from a lawyer familiar with the relevant court and jurisdiction.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, financial, or professional advice. Court procedures and access to appointed counsel vary by state, locality, court system, and type of case. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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