Fake Process Server Phishing Call Scam

Overview

Scammers call claiming to be a "process server" with an urgent, non-existent lawsuit, lien, or warrant against you or a family member, then pressure you to "confirm" your Social Security number and other personal details.

How It Works

You get a call, sometimes repeated, from an unknown or blocked number from someone claiming to be a process server. They might say there is a lien on your home or that you're being taken to court over unpaid medical bills or another debt, or claim you or a family member are a "person of interest in an important matter" and that federal law prevents them from sharing more details until papers are served. The caller then asks you to "confirm" sensitive personal information such as your date of birth, address, or Social Security number, stressing urgency when you hesitate. If you push back and ask who is filing the complaint or what company the caller works for, the scammer often gets angry and threatens arrest or further legal action. In some versions the scammer already has partial personal information about a targeted family member, which they use to make the threat seem credible, or they call relatives of the target to demand the relatives contact the consumer and have them call the scammer back.

Red Flags

• Caller ID is unknown or blocked and the caller claims to be a process server
• Caller refuses to identify the company they work for or who filed the complaint, citing 'federal law' as the reason
• You're pressured to 'confirm' your Social Security number, date of birth, or address over the phone
• The caller reacts with anger or threats of arrest when you ask clarifying questions
• Claims of a lien, lawsuit, or warrant that you cannot verify on your local court's website

Real Examples

• A BBB Scam Tracker report described a caller who said they were a process server with papers regarding a lien on a consumer's home, which turned out to be false after checking with the police department and town.
• Another consumer reported a caller identifying as 'Roy Smith' who demanded SSN verification, threatened arrest when refused, and then called the consumer's son and a friend, threatening them with arrest if they did not contact the consumer and have them call back.
• A reported voicemail claimed to be from 'Independent Process Service dispatch division' saying a parent owed medical bills and that papers would be served at home or work, directing the family to call back a given number and reference code.

Where It Spreads

How to Protect Yourself

• Never confirm or give out your Social Security number, date of birth, or other personal details to an unsolicited caller
• Check your local court's website to see if a lawsuit has actually been filed against you or a family member
• Be wary of scare tactics and unsolicited phone calls; representatives of a reputable business or legal office will be polite and civil and won't pressure you to act immediately
• Don't give out personal information about family members either; if someone asks you to validate information about another individual, hang up the phone
• Report the call to the BBB Scam Tracker so others can be warned

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