If you live in Mecklenburg County, beware of a scam to get you to do jury duty. It could cost you.
Authorities say several residents have received phone calls from someone pretending to be law enforcement. This ‘phony’ law officer informs them they have failed to respond to a jury summons. And that an order has been issued for their arrest. Then they tell the resident they need to pay a large fee using gift cards to avoid arrest or jail time. Officials say this is a scam.
And they are seeing this more and more. County officials say in a news release that scammers are very convincing. They will often times have the resident’s name and address, use the name of a real judge and/or law enforcement officers, and refer to local locations to make the call seem legitimate. And there is a good chance the scammer may have even faked the phone number of the courthouse or Sheriff’s Office.
Mecklenburg County Criminal Justice Services office says they want to keep people safe. They offer this simple advice if you receive a questionable phone call about jury duty.
What You Need To Know About Jury Summons
- In North Carolina, jury summonses are issued by U.S. mail.
- If you fail to appear for jury service, you cannot be fined by telephone or email. Any phone call stating there’s a warrant issued for your arrest for not reporting for jury service is a scam.
- Court staff and/or the Sheriff’s Office do not call or email citizens requesting Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, money, pre–paid debit card numbers, payments by money grams, or any other sensitive financial information.
If you experience any suspicious calls or emails, contact the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office. Victims can also report them to the N.C. Attorney General’s Office or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
