Online scammers are sending out fake "US Legal Restitution Court Notice" emails like the one below, which claim that legal actions against the recipients have been started by The US Attorney Office. The fake email messages are used by scammers to frighten and trick the recipients into sending them money, by claiming that they owe money and threaten legal actions. Therefore, recipients of the fake email messages should delete them and not follow the instructions in them.
It is important that the public take precautions when asked to send money via money transfer services like the Western Union and MoneyGram, or Prepaid Debit Card to pay legal services or the government. This is because scammers use those untraceable money transfer services to collect money from their victims. Money sent via those services are not refundable, once the scammers have collected or used it.
A Sample of a "US Legal Restitution Court Notice" Scam
From: Senior Attorney <u.s.legal.restitution@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, April 9, 2018 9:01 AM
Subject: Final Court Notice
Find Your Warrant Copy :-
Attorney :- Michael S Davis
Number :- (872) 666-1293
Law Office :- The US Attorney Office
NAME :-
CASE FILE :- CA#9282
SSN :- ****
Bureau of Defaulters Agency - FTC Incorporation.
This is to inform you, that you are going to be legally prosecuted in the Court House within a couple of days. Your SSN is put on hold by the US Federal Government, so before the case is filed we would like to notify you about this matter. It seems apparent that you have chosen to ignore all our efforts to contact you in order to resolve your debt with the Bureau of Defaulters Agency. At this point you have made your intentions clear and have left us no choice but to protect our interest in this matter. Now this means a few things for you, if you are under any state probation or payroll we need you to inform your manager/Concerned HR department about what you have done in the past and what would be the consequences once the case has been downloaded and executed in your name.
Now, FTC is pressing charges against you regarding 3 serious allegation:
1. Violation of federal banking regulation act 1983 (C)
2. Collateral check fraud
3. Theft by deception (ACC ACT 21A)
If we do not hear from you within 48 hours of the date on this letter, we will be compelled to seek legal representation from our company Attorney. We reserve the right to commence litigation for intent to commit wire fraud under the pretense of refusing to repay a debt committed to, by use of the internet. In addition we reserve the right to seek recovery for the balance due, as well as legal fees and any court cost incurred.
WE CARRY ALL THE RIGHTS RESERVED TO INFORM TO FBI, FTC, AND HOME LAND SECURITY, YOUR EMPLOYER AND BANK ABOUT FRAUD. And once you are found guilty in the court house, then you have to bear the entire cost of this lawsuit which totals to $13,271.15, excluding loan amount, attorney's fee & the interest charges. You have the right to hire an attorney. If you don't have/can't afford one then the court will appoint one for you.
Michael S Davis
Attorney General