Warning: New Jury Duty Scam Demands Thousands for Missed Service

The Jury Duty Scam

• ⚠️ Authorities are issuing warnings about a new phone scam impersonating court officials to defraud individuals.
• 🎯 Scammers claim the victim missed jury duty and threaten immediate detention or arrest if they don't comply.
• 💰 Victims are pressured to pay significant sums of money, often thousands of dollars, to resolve the fabricated issue.

Tactics and Impact

• 📞 Scammers use fear tactics, suggesting that moving the case to criminal court will result in officers coming to the house and detaining the individual for at least 72 hours.
• 🏢 The scam can escalate to the point where scammers contact the victim's place of work to increase pressure.
• 📉 These scams not only harm individuals financially but also undercut public trust and willingness to participate in the civic duty of serving as jurors.

Official Guidance and Red Flags

• 🚨 Court websites in all 50 states have issued warnings about these jury duty scams.
• 📞 A key indicator of a scam is a demand for immediate payment to avoid arrest or resolve a citation.
• ✅ Courts will never call and ask for money or demand payment to make an arrest warrant disappear.
• 📞 The first contact from a court is typically via mail, not an unsolicited phone call demanding payment.
• 🔍 If you receive such a call, hang up and contact the sheriff's department or district court directly to verify the claim.