Stand with Maranda: Scam Victim Relief

For those that don’t know me, my name is Maranda. This story is not an easy story to share, but it must be shared. My goal is to raise awareness but also to recover losses. If I can help prevent even one person from having to go through what I went through, then I will have succeeded.

On Monday December 16, 2024 I answered a phone call that would turn into one of the worst experiences of my life. I was immediately addressed by an officer from Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office who identified himself as Sgt. Keith Dumas and provided his badge number. He was calling to notify me that he had warrants for my arrest. As someone who has never been in trouble with the police my heart started racing as soon as he told me who he was. When I heard warrants, I began to panic. He told me I had failed to appear for a federal jury summons that I had allegedly signed and returned months before the phone call. I told him I didn’t remember doing this. Maybe it was a neighbor? I live in an apartment. Maybe I did sign it? I began to even question myself. He then began to reassure me that he knows I’m a good citizen, he’s inclined to believe me, he’s going to help me work this out, etc. However, “the judge” takes these things very seriously and because the murder trial resulted in a mistrial, the judge was upset and was not feeling very lenient.

So I had two options. To keep my case as a civil case with no jail time, I needed to come into the sheriffs office to compare my signature against the one on the summons. The other option, the criminal option, was to turn myself in and let the judge decide my punishment. Jail time. What??

This was all too much. I couldn’t think straight, he was telling me so much information at one time and I just wanted this to end as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, option one wasn’t as simple as he had made it sound. I couldn’t just come to the sheriffs office because these warrants were active, and if I was on police property I would be arrested. So I needed to first “freeze” the warrants by paying a bond.

I was told I was being charged with Federal Failure to Appear and Federal Contempt of Court, two charges that sounded very serious to me. I was also given case numbers. But since I’m a model citizen, he was going to “help” me by combining the charges for a lower bond amount. I was to pay $12,000 that I was reassured I would get back as soon as my signature was verified. I told him that wasn’t possible, I don’t have that much money. He asked what could I pay; I told him a number much lower, but I also mistakenly mentioned the amount of money I had available on my credit card, not even thinking about cash advance limits. We never really settled on a number, I was just supposed to get as much as I could. It would help show the judge I’m being compliant to get as much as I had access to. And also, the FBI and IRS are involved in the case so they’ll know if I’m being dishonest about my funds. This is terrifying.

I want to resolve this. I AM a good citizen. I’ll prove it. But before I could go to the bank, I’m told about the Mandatory Maintain Contact Order. This is required since I chose option one. I am to stay on the line with police until I get to the police station. If I hang up, I am no longer in compliance and deputies will be sent to my location to arrest me. I am also made aware of a gag order. This is still an active federal murder trial, so I can’t talk to anyone about what’s going on. Sgt. Dumas confirms that I understand all of the information he provided me over the course of 43 minutes, and explains that he is going to transfer me to Lt. Willie Sanders who will be handling my case through the rest of the process.

When I connected with Sanders, on a different number than the one Dumas called me from, he tells me to enter the number he called me from into my search engine to confirm who I was speaking to. It did, in fact, pull up results for Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. I hadn’t thought to question anything at this point, but now I had proof it was the police. He was now going to transfer me to a secure line, and I then received a call from him on a blocked number that I remained on the line with for the remainder of our interaction. Once I am on the secure line, he confirms that I understand everything Dumas had explained to me and says we’re ready to proceed.

I wasn’t at home when I answered this call. I had just pulled into the parking lot of an auto parts store to get something for my car before my Christmas road trip. I sat in my car there while all of this had transpired. So before I can move my vehicle he needs to know the odometer reading on my car, which will be one more step of showing my compliance throughout the day and that I’m not trying to flee. He would ask me this every time I made a stop throughout the day. He then notifies deputies over a radio, which I could hear clearly in the background, that I am cooperating and not to pursue an arrest unless told otherwise. I could also hear other voices responding, “10-4” and that sort of jargon. I didn’t see any police around but they couldn’t be far. This adds another level of fear. I am being watched, followed, and listened to.

I can finally start driving to the bank. While I’m driving Sanders checks in every 3 minutes for a “compliance check,” asking my ETA and occasionally giving me reassurances. I didn’t have any chance to think for myself or to question what was going on. I just did what they said. Once I get to the bank and say the new odometer reading on my car I am reminded of the gag order and told to put my phone in my purse. They’ll be listening. I take out the maximum cash advance possible on my credit card, $3100 and another $1000 from my checking account. Once I’m in my car I’m panicking that that’s all I can come up with. I had the banker print out receipts and details of my credit card proving what my limit was. Sanders reassures me that I’m taking the right steps to show the judge I’m cooperative, as long as I’m not lying about what funds I have available to me. Remember, the IRS will know. So I need to make another stop at my other bank. Another radio call to deputies to stand down. Another drive with compliance checks. Another odometer reading. Another reminder of my gag order. Put the phone in the purse. I withdraw $4600 from my savings account at my other bank, leaving myself a balance of $3.07 in my savings account. Back to the car.

Once I tell Sanders that $8700 is all I have, and nothing more, the next step can happen. I can just go to the police station with the money, right? Wrong. They don’t handle the money and if I go there I’ll be arrested. He then explains to me I’ll use a federal kiosk to deposit this cash and emails me instructions on how to use it, along with my “Mobile Bond ID Number.” These documents have United States Courts headers and are extremely official looking. They explain why they use these off-site kiosks: something related to the pandemic and social distancing and keeping people out of federal/state buildings, so they have these kiosks placed conveniently throughout counties for people to make bond payments on behalf of themselves or family/friends, etc. The one I will be using is located at the same address of a Marathon gas station in North Sarasota, 11 miles away from where I am in the bank parking lot. This is frustrating since I am only 0.2 miles away from the sheriff’s office. Sanders tells me he’s sorry I have to drive so far, it’s just that the other kiosks closer to me don’t have CCTV that’s operating, whether it was broken or offline I don’t remember.

I tell Sanders the odometer reading, and hear his radio communication with deputies, before I go to the kiosk. It takes me about 25 minutes to get there, with compliance checks every 3 minutes on the drive. Once I get to the address he tells me that the kiosk is inside the gas station and I am to remain on the line with him but he can’t actually speak to me while using the machine. So I open up the email again for him to run through the instructions one more time. There is also a QR code in the email that I will use with the machine. It’s like any corner gas station. Small, dirty, people in and out. Is this right? I look near the ATM machine but the kiosk isn’t there. I find it tucked in a back corner with a screen that looks very heavily used. It’s hard to read through the grime from other people’s hands on the screen. That’s government for you. I enter my mobile bond ID and scan the QR code and select the options I was told to select in the email. I then deposit $8700 worth of $100 and $50 bills. One by one. And this machine makes a loud noise after every bill is inserted. I don’t see anyone staring because my back is turned but I can only imagine.

There is one older $50 bill that the machine won’t accept, I tell Sanders and he tells me he can’t speak to me while I’m making the deposit. I’m panicking. I can’t deposit the full amount, which I was told was important, and he tells me to see if I can swap it out at the register. I didn’t know if the machine would time out and the clerk wasn’t at the counter so I’m rushing around the store looking for him and frantically asking him to switch the bill for me. So I get two twenties and a ten and complete the deposit. I’m waiting for some sort of receipt to print. I was told that I absolutely needed this when I arrive to the sheriff’s office. Nothing. Sanders says he’ll make a note and I’ll be okay.

When I get back to my car I feel a slight sense of relief that the bond process is complete and I can go verify my signature now. I had been told a few times that the signature verification would take about one and a half to two hours and I was starting to worry about my pets. It’s almost 4:00 and I had left my house in the morning to run a few errands. I never expected to be gone this long. Sanders seems eager to get me going on my way to where he is but that is only until he sees a “red flag” on my paperwork and he seems confused by this. He reassures me that I’ve done everything properly but this flag is coming from the financial division and doesn’t have much information. He needs to transfer me to the financial division to figure it out but before he gets off the call he tells me he is going to walk over there himself and gets this settled for me.

I am put on hold until another officer gets on. I can’t remember who he identified himself as but it is a new voice and he works in the financial division. He tells me about the red flag: I did not make the complete deposit all at once. He says that the kiosks are very sensitive machines and asks what happened. All I could think of was the time it took for me to step away to switch out the $50 bill. I explain it to him. He listens but doesn’t seem appeased. All he kept saying is “I’m trying to help you but these machines are very sensitive.” He didn’t sound like he was trying to help me at all. He then explains that there was a note on my paperwork that I had agreed to pay $11,000 and that’s the amount they were expecting. I never agreed to pay that much, but I realize Sgt. Dumas had heard the amount available on my credit card and wrote that down. I explain this is a mistake, I couldn’t get that much because it was from my credit card and that Sanders had said I would be fine as long as I had the receipts. This new guy is unsympathetic. All I can think is, where the heck is Sanders?

At some point he tells me to check my email. Inside was the warrant for my arrest. He says he’s sorry (didn’t sound like it), but I am no longer considered compliant and he was going to be sending deputies to apprehend me. I’m a wreck, I’m panicking, I’m desperate. The banks aren’t closed yet so maybe I can figure something out. I said I’ll get a couple more thousand dollars and come back. “No ma’am it doesn’t work like that. These machines are very sensitive.” I am to get a full $11,000 to freeze my warrants if I have any chance to stay out of jail. I tell him I’ll go back to the bank and figure something out. He doesn’t seem inclined to help me but ultimately, he does. He gives me some time to try to come up with the money. I look on my maps to find the closest Wells Fargo to where I am which ends up being the one on Main St in downtown Sarasota. I have no plan, I’m just trying to stay out of jail.

Before I go into the bank the officer from the financial division says he needs to transfer me back to another officer. I get on the phone with Dumas again, I’m not sure why it wasn’t Sanders but I was familiar enough with Dumas so I didn’t question it. He reminds me of the gag order before I go in the bank. When I get into Wells Fargo I talk to a banker about getting a personal loan. I don’t know anything about that process because I’ve never taken out a personal loan before. I tell her I need money today but I can’t tell her what it’s for. She can tell I’m distressed but with the officer on the phone in my purse I can’t give any details about why I need the money when she asks. I’m not in there for very long. I feel like I need to ask family or friends for help but I don’t know how to do that without giving too many details. When I’m back in my car the officer on the phone is incredibly pushy saying they can’t give me any longer. I say I couldn’t get any more money but I’m going to text my family for help. He reminds me of the gag order. Yeah, I know. I tell him I’m being vague in my texts and I know when the cops read these messages later it will all buff out (hopefully).

I text my two family members and my best friends husband. He was expecting my call that day to help me with my car and my best friend was at work. My family doesn’t live in the area but my friend does. Obviously all three people try to call me numerous times but I can’t answer. They all naturally think my phone has been hacked at first, but I send selfies. My mom told me to take a selfie doing something specific, I do. My best friends husband asks what his favorite college team is, I answer correctly. Everyone is still trying repeatedly to call me and I keep texting them I can’t answer, I can’t explain but trust me I just need help now and I can explain it all later on and I’ll pay them back. My friends husband asks where I am so I share my location, he says he is going to come meet me. All I can think is “can you get the money?” He had been in contact with my best friend, who also starts trying to call me and text me. The officer on the phone keeps checking in every few minutes asking if I’m going to be able to get the money from someone. I tell him yes, someone is on the way so it won’t be long. I’m waiting for what feels like forever. The officer is getting impatient. He tells me to call my friend on a 3 way call and ask where he is and he will be on the line and won’t talk. I don’t feel comfortable doing that to a friend so I talk him down and say he’s almost here. When he finally does arrive I get out of my car and talk to him at his window with the phone in my purse. He’s worried, asking what’s going on but I can’t say much. He also has my best friend on speaker phone. They have no clue what’s happening, I’m standing outside of his truck crying, scared, I whisper a few things “I’m going to go to jail,” “gag order,” etc. I’m not getting anywhere and I’m worried that the officer on the phone heard me say too much or that he heard my friend say “the police don’t work like this.” I give him my house keys and ask if they can let my dog out. I’ve been gone all day and I have no idea at this point when I’m going make it home. He ends up leaving, without loaning me any money. I’m not mad. I tell him I understand, I wouldn’t give me money either. I was acting so sketchy.

Back in my car I have to tell Dumas that I’m not getting any more money. He asks about that available balance I had on my credit card. I said I could only get out the $3100 and I did that earlier. He tells me that the bank can’t technically set a limit and I can go in and change that amount. The pressure he is putting on me is unrelenting. I don’t know if this is true or not but I’m running out of options. This is my Hail Mary. It’s almost 5:00 at this point so I have to try something before the banks close, otherwise I’m going to jail. However, I am starting to feel like something isn’t right after my friend planted that seed of doubt in my mind. Before I walk into the bank building I say “I don’t know, I’m starting to feel like this is a scam.” His mood changes quickly. He says I am offending his badge and the men and women in law enforcement. He tells me to just go back to my car and wait for deputies that he is going to dispatch immediately. I quickly recant my statement. I apologize, saying it’s been a long day and I’m exhausted and I don’t want to go to jail, just let me go into the bank and work this out.

I talk to a different banker this time because there aren’t many people left working at this point. I say I want to raise my cash advance limit or raise my entire credit card limit. He tries to ask what I need and what it’s for but per the officers instruction I just say “personal reasons,” but that I need it today. Unfortunately because I had already taken out a cash advance that day I can’t take out another one even if we do change my credit limit. This sucks but I never expected much different. I head to my car, keeping my phone in my purse until I reach my car.

When I walk outside I see two City of Sarasota police parked on either side of my car. I’m sure they’re here to arrest me. I get closer and greet the two officers because I know they’re there for me. I only get out a “hello” before they ask me “Are you Maranda?” And then “your mom and friends are worried about you.” Not at all what I was expecting them to say. My heart and my mind were racing. “Um, yeah, hold on. I’m actually on the phone with an officer now and I just need to check in with him.” I pull my phone out, the cops with puzzled looks, and tell Dumas that cops were next to my car. This is when it got weird. “Ma’am you need to get away from law enforcement, you have active warrants.” WHAT? I’m not running from police. Why would an officer tell me that? One of the city cops interjects. “That’s a cop? Can I speak to them?” I tell Dumas this officer would like to speak to you. Click. He hung up. After 5 hours, just like that. I’m speechless. I don’t know who said what first but the city cops tell me it was a scam, those weren’t real police, I’m not being arrested. I start bawling. I feel so violated. I was held hostage for 5 hours and gave these guys basically everything I have. The cops try to comfort me, “you’re safe, no one has physically hurt you. Don’t feel embarrassed, this happens more than you know.” They tell me they were there to check on me because they had gotten calls from my mom and my best friend and they knew where to find me because I had shared my location with my friend just a little while before. One of them tells me to call my mom before I give them more details, just to let her know I’m safe. I do. Once I’m off the phone I ask the cops, “Are you sure there’s no warrants for me?” I was full blown Stockholm. The “cops” on the phone knew what they were doing, and they did it well. They had perfected their script and played good cop extremely well. The city cops get a few details from me, and reassure me that there’s no warrants for my arrest. They tell me that I need to file a report with Sarasota County Sheriffs because the phone call I received and the money I deposited occurred in the county jurisdiction.

After just a few minutes I’m back in my car, and I start calling my family and friends to explain what happened. I can barely get out words through the tears. I’m so ashamed and so embarrassed for even asking them for money. All I can do is apologize. I love all of them so much, not one person was upset with me the way I was upset with myself. I’m so glad they got involved and called the police because I was too deep in it and couldn’t see what was happening to me.

That was one of the most terrifying things I’ve experienced and I know it happens all too often. Unfortunately, a lot of victims don’t report it to the police out of embarrassment, but I hope that if this happens to you or someone you know that it gets reported. These scammers will keep victimizing and stealing and it makes it easier for them to continue the less the police know.

I’d also like to address that I do not normally answer my phone for a number I don’t know, but that day I had been trying to get in contact with my dog’s vets office. I had called three times that morning and five minutes after I made the third call, my phone rang. So my initial thought was that the vet was calling from a different office line because maybe they had seen that I was calling. The number was the same area code and showed up as Venice, Fl. The scammers got lucky. I let my guard down once. One time is all it took, and it could happen to anyone.

Please do not judge, for I have judged myself in so many ways already. I have felt shame, embarrassment, anger, sadness, guilt, and a range of other emotions for “falling for it.”

I am not looking to make a million dollars, just to recover what I lost to help pay bills and have some money in savings. If you are able to contribute I greatly appreciate your help and if not, at least share my story with loved ones to raise awareness around phone scams. Thank you!