I have been warning you about the jury duty scam for twelve years, but it continues to snare many unwary victims.   In the Scam of the day for January 25, 2025 I told you Anthony Sanders and an accomplice were indicted on charges related to a jury duty scam in which Sanders called his victim, a 30 year nurse posing as a Sarasota, Florida sheriff  threatening arrest for failure to show up for jury duty and demanding a payment of more than $12,000 through what he referred to as a “Bonding Transition Center” which was actually a Bitcoin ATM which was used to direct the funds to Sanders’ account.  The call appeared on the victim’s Caller ID as coming from the Sarasota sheriff’s department and the victim paid the funds.  What makes this particular scam unusual was that Sanders is a prisoner in a Georgia prison who allegedly used a smuggled in cell phone to commit the crime.

Now, two more Georgia prisoners, Braindon Cayo and Deqquarius Thornton along with Alabama lifer Andrew Maresh were arrested for perpaetrating the jury duty scam while doing time in state prisons.

Often in these scams you are told that you can pay the fine through a credit card or, as is being done more and more,  by a gift card.  And now more frequently you are told to pay the “fine” through a Bitcoin ATM. Other times they ask for your Social Security number to confirm your identity.  Of course, the phone call is a scam.  Even if you have missed jury duty, you will never be called by legitimate court officers and shaken down for a payment.

Often, as in this case,  the scammers will use a technique called “spoofing” to make the call appear on your Caller ID as if it is coming from a legitimate law enforcement agency or court.  In some instances of the scam you are asked to confirm your identity by providing your Social Security number which will then be used to make you a victim of identity theft.  Recently the scam has evolved to where people are also being contacted by text messages or emails from scammers posing as a representative of the local court system.

TIPS

Initial contacts from courts regarding jury duty are always in writing through the mail although some systems will permit you to receive future notices through email.  Under no circumstances will you receive telephone calls or text messages indicating that you have failed to report for jury duty.  No court will demand payment over the phone for failing to appear for jury duty and no court ever requires a payment be made via cryptocurrencies.  If you do receive such a call and you think that there is even the possibility that you might have forgotten to report for jury duty, merely call the local clerk of courts in order to  get accurate information. Of course anyone calling you and telling you that you can pay your fine to them over the phone using your credit card or a gift card is a scammer.

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