The Pennsylvania State Police Troop M – Bethlehem and the Northampton County Sheriffs Department are urging residents not to fall victim to Bitcoin scams involving warrant payments, and to hang up the phone immediately if they suspect the call is a scam.

Residents are receiving phone calls from unknown callers indicating they are “Northampton County Sheriffs” and there is a warrant for their arrest for failing to report for jury duty. Callers advise the victim’s payment via Bitcoin is needed for the warrants to be voided. Callers often tell victims that they have to stay on the phone for long periods of time.

Recent fraudulent incidents include:

• Dec. 20, 2025: Victim received phone call from a scammer indicating they were a Northampton County Sheriff and had (2) warrants for her arrest for failing to report for jury duty. Victim made (3) Bitcoin transactions which totaled $10,000

• Feb. 9, 2026: Victim received a phone call from a scammer indicating they were a Northampton County Sheriff and indicated there was a warrant for her arrest and she needed to make payments via Bitcoin. The victim deposited $4,000 in Bitcoin transactions prior to Troopers making a traffic stop indicting it was a scam.

• Feb. 11, 2026: Victim received a phone call from a scammer indicating they were a Northampton County Sheriff and had (2) warrants for her arrest and needed to make payment via Bitcoin. The victim made (2) transactions totaling $16,500 before realizing it was a scam.