Scammers posing as law enforcement officers and attorneys have tricked at least one Essex County resident into sending more than $11,000 through Zelle for a fake bail payment.

Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Sheriff Amir Jones issued a joint warning on Tuesday, Sept. 15, urging families to watch for the scheme. The scammers target relatives of people who were recently arrested, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. They call, claim to be police officers, lawyers or court staff, and pressure the family member to send money immediately through Zelle, Apple Pay or another digital platform.

The tactic exploits a moment of panic. A family learns a relative has been arrested, and a caller posing as an official demands fast payment to secure release.

But Stephens said New Jersey's criminal justice reforms have made cash bail a rarity. Bail is required in only a limited number of cases under the state's current system, the prosecutor's office said. Even when bail does apply, no legitimate law enforcement officer, attorney or court employee will ever ask for payment through a digital app.

That distinction is the clearest red flag.

Anyone who receives a call demanding a digital payment to free a jailed family member should hang up and not send money, authorities said.

New Jersey Hills first reported the advisory on Sept. 15.

The prosecutor's office did not say how many residents have been targeted so far. Only one confirmed victim, who lost the $11,000 through Zelle, was identified in the warning.

Residents who believe they have been targeted can call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Tips Line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC (1-877-847-7432). The office said all calls will be kept confidential.