How to Avoid the Jury Duty Scam

The jury duty scam is predominantly an identity theft,
although it can also be an opportunity to steal money as
well.

The scammers use the phone to ring people to try and get
them to reveal their birth date, Social Security number,
and credit card numbers - as well as possibly other
personal information.

The jury duty scam has been very successful because it uses
fear by stating that you have failed to report for jury
duty and there is a warrant for your arrest. Most people
are shocked when they hear this. They don't consider
themselves a criminal and want it sorted out quickly.

Facing the unexpected threat of arrest catches most people
off guard. The scammer, of course, can sort it out once you
verify who you are and possibly pay a fine to make the
matter go away. 

How Does the Jury Duty Scam Work?

Your phone rings and when you answer it, the person on the
other end says they are an officer of the court. They say
that you have failed to report for jury duty and a warrant
is out for your arrest. Despite you telling them you never
received a notice, they advise that one was sent and
reiterate the seriousness of the matter.

To try and clear it up, the caller will ask for some
information for verification purposes that will include
your full name, date of birth and Social Security number.
They now have all the information they need for identity
theft.

The caller may then state that you can avoid being arrested
if you pay an instant fine. To do that you will need to
provide them with your credit card details. This provides
them another opportunity to use your personal information
for fraudulent purposes.

The jury duty scam is a simple one - scare you first, then
the scammer provides a solution in the form of identity
verification and a fine.

Advice to Avoid a Jury Duty Scam

Remember that court officers never ask for personal or
confidential information over the phone. Courts normally
follow up with potential jurors and no-show jurors by mail.

Never give out personal information when you receive an
unsolicited phone call. Warnings about the jury duty scam
have been posted on the FBI website, and the U.S. Courts
Websites posted the message below:

In various parts of the United States, citizens are being
targeted by phone calls and threatened with prosecution for
failing to comply with jury service in federal or state
courts.

In the calls, the threat of a fine for shirking jury
service is used to coerce those called into providing
confidential data, potentially leading to identity theft
and fraud. These calls are not from real court officials.

Federal courts do not require anyone to provide any
sensitive information in a telephone call. Most contact
between a federal court and a prospective juror will be
through the U.S. Mail, and any phone contact by real court
officials will not include requests for social security
numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive
information.

If you are unsure about a telephone call, ask for the
caller's name and organization's or department's details
and then hang up. Find a legitimate contact number for the
organization using a telephone directory or other means
[Don't use a contact number provided by the caller] and
then call the organization and ask to speak to the original
caller by name.