CRIME
Officials Warn Of Nationwide ‘Jury Scam’ Threatening Victims With Arrest Unless They Pay Fake Fine
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Department of Justice officials are warning that scammers are posing as government officials to threaten people with arrest if they don’t pay a fake fine for failing to appear for jury duty.
The U.S. District Court And U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida on Monday warned of the nationwide scam in which callers pose as U.S. Marshals or other government agents and claim the victim will be arrested for failing to appear for jury duty unless they pay a fine.
The scammers may have personal identifying information about the victim, such as address or date of birth, and may use the real names of federal judges and court officers, real law enforcement badge numbers, case numbers, or other details to support their scam. They may even spoof their phone number so it appears as a legitimate court or government number on caller ID.
The scammers then tell victims they can avoid arrest by paying a fine, and direct them on how to make an electronic payment, or how to purchase a prepaid debit card or gift card.
In no instance will a court official, U.S. Marshals Service, or other government employee contact someone and demand payment or personal information by phone or email, the U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement.
The scammers target victims nationwide, but officials say they have seen a recent uptick in jury scams in the Middle District of Florida.
“Weve seen a resurgence of jury scams in recent months where a caller demands that someone pay a fee or face arrest for missing jury duty. Let me be clear: these calls are fraudulent,” Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan said in a statement. “If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a judge or other court official, do not give them your credit card or other financial information. The court appreciates those citizens who are called for jury service and always endeavors to treat them with respect.”
If a prospective juror disregards a summons, they will be contacted by the District Court Clerks Office by mail and may, in certain circumstances, be ordered to appear before a judge. Such orders will always appear in writing, signed by a judge, and will never occur over the phone, officials said.
“Jury service is one of the most important public services a citizen can perform, and it is a serious matter when scammers attempt to use a citizens sense of civic duty to defraud them,” said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg. “If someone calls and threatens you to pay them to not be arrested for missing federal jury duty, you are being scammed. This scam works by trying to create a false sense of urgency that you must pay money immediately to avoid arrest. Do not fall for it. Hang up the phone and instead report the call to the appropriate federal authorities.”
Anyone who believed they may have been the victim of such a scam can report it to their District Court Clerks Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, or the Federal Trade Commission, officials said.
TMX contributed to this article.
