This Phone Call About Missing Jury Time Is Probably a Scam
Impersonators have become victims of scammers who try to impersonate someone else when it comes to something many of us dread and are afraid to miss: jury duty. Scammers posing as law enforcement officers contact people, claiming they have not received a subpoena and need to pay up or be arrested.
The Federal Trade Commission first warned about the scheme back in March, where scammers would simply call or email victims with threats and ask them to provide personal information or make payments over the phone. Since then, scammers have switched to a new tactic, directing victims to phishing sites where they attempt to collect identifying information like birth dates and Social Security numbers, as well as cryptocurrency payments.
None of this is true. Chances are you didn’t miss your jury duty, and even if you did, you don’t have to pay the government a fine for not getting arrested. Here’s how to spot a scam.
Red Flags for Jury Duty Fraud
Jury duty scams typically begin with an unsolicited call (or email) from someone claiming to be a police officer or U.S. Marshal. You’ll be told that you missed jury duty and need to pay a fine to avoid arrest. You may be redirected to an official website to pay the fine, where you’ll see official stamps. You’ll be asked to enter personal information to “discover the amount owed,” and then taken to a “government kiosk” to complete a transaction of up to $10,000 (likely in cryptocurrency). This gives the scammers information that allows them to steal your identity and possibly some of your money, which you won’t be able to get back.
This scam has all the hallmarks of many of the others we’ve covered so far. The scammers play on emotions like doubt and fear because you may have actually missed a jury trial, and there are real consequences for failing to appear when subpoenaed. Information and money must be provided immediately to resolve the issue. The next steps include using a suspicious link and non-refundable payment methods like wire transfers and cryptocurrency.
Know that courts, like law enforcement or any other government agency, will not call and demand money under threat of seizure. Do not provide any information or payment over the phone or click on any URLs provided to them. Phone numbers and email addresses are easy to spoof, so do not attempt to interact with them further. Instead, go directly to the court’s website (look for a .gov address) and use the contact person listed there to confirm your juror assignment information.