In the so-called “Jury Duty Scam”, someone calls you and tells you they are calling from the local courthouse, and that you are about to be arrested because you didn’t show up for jury duty. Of course, in this scam the person on the phone is not really from the courthouse, and they have no idea if you have ever received a real jury duty summons in your entire life. They are simply trying to scare you and cause you to offer sensitive information that you would not normally offer to a stranger over the phone. After the victim tells the caller that they never received a jury duty summons, the caller asks them for personal information – such as their social security number, date of birth and possibly bank account numbers – so that they can “confirm their identity”. This should be a major red flag. Law enforcement officials say the best thing to do is just hang up without giving them any information. Most courts send authentic “no show” jury notices by mail, and legitimate officials don’t give warning phone calls when they are about to arrest you. Please report any such scam calls you may receive to your local courthouse and the state attorney general’s office.
