According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), scammers often exploit fears of fines, court appearances, or even arrest to trick victims into handing over money or sensitive information.
The scam typically begins with a call or email from someone pretending to be a police officer or court official. The scammer usually claims that the victim missed jury duty, even though they never received a notice, and now there is a warrant out for their arrest.
To resolve the situation, the scammer pressures the victim to pay a fine immediately, threatening arrest if they refuse. They may also ask for personal details, such as Social Security numbers or birth dates, to commit identity theft, the FTC warns.
Scammers often go to great lengths to make their schemes appear legitimate, sometimes providing fake badge and case numbers.
“Scammers prey on our anxiety about missing out or facing consequences, using tactics that push us to give up money or personal information,” said business strategist Marva Bailer.
Bailer noted that these scams are similar to unpaid toll schemes or package delivery frauds, which play on the fear of missing a deadline or important notice.
Most Americans are summoned for jury duty about five times over 20 years—enough to be familiar, but not enough to fully understand the process, making it easy for scammers to take advantage, Bailer explained.
Both Bailer and the FTC stress that real court officials will never ask for sensitive information or demand immediate payments over the phone. “They certainly won’t request immediate payment,” Bailer emphasized.
If you receive such a call, hang up immediately and contact the court directly.
How to Recognize a Scam:
- Courts will never request immediate payment over the phone, nor will any government agency.
- Courts will not ask for personal information like Social Security numbers or birth dates over the phone.
- Only scammers insist on payments through gift cards, payment apps, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers like Western Union, as these methods make it nearly impossible to recover your money.