Consumer Rights · Scam Alert · October 1, 2026, 1:10 AM CDT · Updated 5:37 PM CDT
Key Facts
- The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about fraudulent emails from an imposter who falsely claims to be a PBSO captain.[1]
- The email says recipients must join a “Zoom court official proceeding” tied to a supposed “Federal Court Virtual Disposition.”[1]
- PBSO says the message is not legitimate and did not come from the sheriff’s office or any federal court.[1]
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office says an imposter is emailing residents while posing as one of its captains.[1]
The email tells recipients they must take part in a “Zoom court official proceeding.”[1]
To look official, it claims a court will monitor the session. It says recipients must keep their cameras on, stay off mute and follow instructions.[1]
It also warns that not complying could get them removed from the Zoom session, bring further action in their case, or even lead to detention.[1]
PBSO says the message is not legitimate and did not come from the sheriff’s office or any federal court.[1]
What the Scam Looks Like
CBS12 printed the body of the email. It is reproduced below exactly as CBS12 quoted it.
- It never says what the case is. “The matter” and “your case” are never named, so it can be sent to anyone.
- It threatens detention by email. The last line says failure to comply “will result in detainment.”
- You cannot see who is in charge. It says court officials may keep their cameras off, so nobody on the call can be checked.
- It orders you to comply, not to call anyone back. Every line pushes obedience; none offers a way to confirm it is real.
Text quoted from CBS12. CBS12 and the sheriff’s office did not publish the sender’s name, address or subject line, so none is shown.
How to Protect Yourself
- Do not respond, click any links or open any attachments. Delete the message, as PBSO advises.[1]
- If you are not sure whether a message claiming to be from PBSO is real, PBSO says you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS or send information anonymously through the “See Something” feature in the PBSO mobile app.[1]
How to Verify This Yourself
Read the original report at cbs12.com. It is the source for everything above, including the email text.
References
Investigative methodology: this post was first produced automatically from CBS12’s alert, which it restated without any example of the scam. It was revised by hand from CBS12’s report. The email text shown is quoted verbatim from that report. No screenshot of the message was published, so none is shown.
Kemetic Minds Editorial Desk
Verified NewsroomPrimary-sourced investigative intelligence on civil rights, voting rights, federal policy, and consumer protection. Sourced from primary legal filings, government statistics, and direct field reporting.