The public is being alerted to a phone scam involving individuals impersonating officials from the Hilo Courthouse, known as Hale Kaulike, in an effort to extort money from residents of Hawaiʻi Island. The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary has issued a warning, emphasizing that the courts or law enforcement generally do not initiate contact via phone or email unless responding to a specific inquiry from the individual.
According to the Judiciary, official communications regarding state court legal matters are typically conducted through the U.S. Postal Service. They further clarified that state court staff will not ask for personal or financial information such as names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, credit or debit card details, or immediate payments via pre-paid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfers, online payment apps like CashApp and Venmo, or cryptocurrency transfers to avoid arrest.
The Judiciary also noted that they do not request credit card numbers or bank routing numbers and will not arrange meetings at locations such as courthouses or police stations for payments. Additionally, they do not require individuals to remain on the phone to purchase pre-paid debit or gift cards.
To safeguard against these scams, the public is advised to hang up immediately if they suspect a scam call without engaging further. Emails or texts claiming to be from the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary should be deleted if unsolicited. Individuals are urged not to use contact information provided in suspicious communications but instead reach out directly using official contact details available on the agency's website.