The Markesan Police Department is alerting residents about a telephone scam in which the caller impersonates a law enforcement officer or court official, claiming the victim failed to report for jury duty.
In this scam, the fraudster threatens criminal prosecution or jail time unless the victim pays a fine immediately. The scammer may request payment information, personal details, or direct the victim to purchase a prepaid card or gift card for payment.
To appear legitimate, the scammer might provide official-sounding details such as the titles and badge numbers of actual law enforcement officers, the names of federal judges, or even the address of a courtroom. They may also “spoof” the phone number to make it appear as if the call is coming from a court or government agency.
If you receive such a call or email, do not provide any personal information, credit card details, or payment. Courts do not call prospective jurors to demand money or personal information over the phone.