Jury Duty Scam Alert: Harris County Residents Targeted by Fake Arrest Threats

Jury Duty Scam Tactics

• ⚠️ A new scam is targeting Harris County residents, involving callers impersonating law enforcement and threatening arrest.
• 💡 The scammer claims the victim failed to appear for jury duty and demands a payment, typically around $525, to clear the matter.
• 🎯 The callers use scare tactics to pressure victims into paying quickly to avoid supposed arrest by sheriff's deputies.

Red Flags to Identify the Scam

• 🔍 A key red flag is a fake jury summons that references the United States District Court, indicating a federal jurisdiction, not county.
• 🚨 Real sheriff's offices will never contact individuals about an existing warrant in a way that gives them time to flee.
• 💰 Another major indicator is the demand for payment over the phone, which law enforcement agencies do not do.

How to Respond to Suspicious Calls

• 📞 If you receive such a call, the advice is to politely hang up immediately.
• 📢 Following the hang-up, notify the sheriff's office right away to report the scam attempt.
• ✅ This scam preys on fear, but recognizing these red flags can help prevent residents from becoming victims and losing money.