IF YOU GET A CALL AFTER GETTING A TICKET, HANG UP. PALM BEACH COUNTY CLERK MIKE CARUSO WARNS…
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Palm Beach County Clerk Mike Caruso is sounding the alarm to BocaNewsNow.com on a sophisticated new scam targeting local drivers. Fraudsters are impersonating law enforcement officers to trick people with legitimate traffic tickets into paying “fines” through Zelle. The scheme is particularly dangerous because it leaves the actual court fines unpaid, putting victims at risk of losing their driver’s licenses despite thinking they’ve settled their debt.
The Clerk’s office recently learned of the scam after an attorney reported that two clients were contacted by individuals using the phone number 561-412-4186. The callers pretended to be from the Jupiter Police Department and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, even using the real names of local officers to gain trust. The victims were told to send money to a Gmail address via Zelle to close their cases. To make the ruse even more convincing, the scammers used actual case numbers and the names of the specific judges presiding over the victims’ files.
Clerk Caruso is reminding the public that his office never accepts payments through Zelle, Venmo, or CashApp, and they certainly don’t use Gmail accounts to conduct official business. Furthermore, actual law enforcement officers will never call you to demand payment for a traffic citation. If you receive a suspicious message or call, the Clerk’s advice is simple: “When in doubt, don’t give your info out.” Residents are encouraged to block the suspicious 561 number and call the Clerk’s office directly at 561-355-2996 to verify any payment request.
This latest warning follows a series of public service announcements released by the Clerk’s office late last year regarding similar predatory behavior. Along with traffic ticket scams, officials are urging residents to be wary of fraudulent schemes involving juror summons and property deeds. If you believe you’ve been targeted, officials say you should report the incident to the authorities immediately to help stop these “high-tech” shakedowns before more residents lose their hard-earned money.
