Jury duty is an important part of our justice system. It gives everyday people the chance to help make fair decisions in court cases. Unfortunately, though, scammers try to take advantage of honorable citizens by pretending to be officials involved in jury duty.
These jury duty scams can happen over the phone, by email, or even through text message. The goal of these scammers is to trick you into paying money—a “fine”—because you failed to appear for jury duty.
What you need to know is that these scammers are really good. They do this every day. They’ve had thousands of hours of practice, and therefore, they have a convincing response for every question and unique situation. They will make you fearful of the consequences.
Here are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself.
1. Know How These Scams Work
Jury duty scams often start with a phone call or email that seems official. The scammer will say something like, “You missed jury duty, and now you must pay a fine.” Or, they may tell you that you’ll be arrested if you don’t take immediate action.
The scammer may even pretend to be a judge, court official, or police officer. They may ask for sensitive information such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or credit card information. Sometimes, they may ask for payment over the phone or ask you to wire money.
2. Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Calls or Emails
Official court communications will never ask you to provide personal details over the phone or through email. If you think a message might be from a scammer, do not respond. Instead, hang up the phone or delete the email. Then, look up the contact information for your local courthouse online and call them directly to verify if there are any issues with your jury duty.
3. Don’t Pay
A common tactic scammers use is threatening people with arrest unless they pay a fine. The scammer may ask for payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or even cryptocurrency. These are all signs that you’re dealing with a scam.
Real government agencies will never ask you to pay for jury duty over the phone, and they most definitely wouldn’t ask you to pay with a wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. If you truly missed jury duty, you would receive an official letter with clear instructions on what to do next. And if you do receive such a letter, you would want to call the county directly using a verified number that appears on their website.
If you ever doubt the legitimacy of a jury duty notice, visit your local court’s website to learn how they handle jury duty. The website will have information on how to verify whether or not you’ve been selected.
Final Thoughts
By staying informed and being cautious with your personal information, you can protect yourself from these dangerous scams. Always verify the source of any unexpected communication, and remember that the real courts will never ask for money or personal details in a way that feels suspicious.
Stay safe, stay alert, and don’t let scammers take advantage of you.
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