Telephone Fraud Investigation

January 28, 2026
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after finding that a Windsor woman was scammed by a caller claiming to be Captain Ronald Towers of the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. 
The victim received a call on Tuesday morning, during which the caller claimed she had missed jury duty and that there was now a warrant for her arrest. He explained she needed to report to the “station” in person and bring $15,000 to pay her bond. He also told her this information was confidential and that she couldn’t share it with anyone until the situation had been resolved. 
While withdrawing money from her bank, she received multiple text messages from the scammer, including screenshots of court documents and instructions to deposit the funds at a Bitcoin kiosk. The scammer kept her on the phone, emphasizing that the situation was confidential. After the transaction was complete, the scammer tried to convince the victim to send more funds, prompting her to end the call.
Telephone scammers pretending to be local law enforcement have been common for several years. The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind residents that we will never ask for money over the phone or by email. If you get a call from someone claiming to be law enforcement and they tell you that you have a warrant or missed jury duty, hang up and contact your local authorities directly. 
“These scammers prey on fear and trust, and the emotional impact can last much longer than the financial loss,” said Sheriff Kalvin Barrett. “We will continue to educate the community about these scams, but we need everyone’s help. Share this information with friends and family so no one else has to suffer the consequences of these predators.”
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office also includes active warrants on our website at https://danesheriff.com/Warrants, where you can easily verify this information.