[Northampton County, PA] – The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) 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: 

• December 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 

• February 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.

• February 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. 

State Police and the Northampton County Sheriffs Office are urging residents if they receive a phone call indicating payment is needed to law enforcement, to hang up immediately. Law Enforcement never asks for payment over the phone and do not accept alternate payment methods such as Bitcoin. 

For more information on the Pennsylvania State Police, visit www.psp.pa.gov.

For more information on the Northampton County Sheriffs Department, visit www.norcopa.gov/sheriffs-department.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Northampton County Executive Office