Jury Scam

No, that’s not the government calling you.

BBB Scam Tracker continues to receive reports of scammers impersonating government or law enforcement agencies, tricking consumers into giving up personal information and money with threatening messages.

Missed jury duty scam

In this long-running scam, someone contacts you via phone call or text, claiming to be from your local law enforcement or judicial agency, and tells you you’ve missed a jury duty summons, and they could arrest you. The scammer may even send a fake jury summons to your email to convince you. They say you can avoid arrest by paying a very hefty fine, sometimes up to thousands of dollars. Of course, they never confirm the fine and the jury summons.

Read the full scam alert and tips for avoiding jury duty scams.

Process server phishing scam

This scam also starts with an intimidating phone call or text message from a “debt collector” who needs you to pay immediately. If not, the scammer states that a police officer has a warrant for your arrest. Recent reports of this scam involve a phony “process server” and a non-existent court case against you.

Read the full scam alert and tips for avoiding process server scams.

How to avoid similar scams

• Be wary of scare tactics and unsolicited phone calls. Scammers love to threaten people with legal action or hefty fines, scaring them into giving up their personal information and money. They hope fear will make you act without thinking. Always remember that representatives of a reputable business or legal office will be polite and civil, even in a severe situation. They won’t pressure you to act immediately “or else.”
• Do your research. If you ever question whether you need to appear in court, call the appropriate judicial agency and ask. If you receive an email with a fake jury summons, don’t call the number, as that will likely lead you to the scammer who sent the email. If you receive a call, remember that scammers can spoof a legitimate agency’s phone number. To be safe, look for official websites in your jurisdiction and find their phone number on their website to call. Always be on the lookout for fake websites, too.
• Beware of requests to pay via wire transfer, prepaid debit or gift cards, digital wallet apps, or cryptocurrency. These payment methods are almost always a sign of fraud because you won’t be able to get your money back.

For more information

Reading up on phishing and impostor scams can help you spot a con before it’s too late.

If a scammer contacts you, report your experience to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help us boost consumer awareness and make scammers’ tactics less effective.