If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be an officer of the court or a law enforcement representative claiming there’s a warrant out for your arrest for failing to show up for jury duty, disconnect the call—it’s a scam. For years, crooks posing as police officers or court officials have attempted to scam consumers out of information and money. Some victims have shelled out hundreds of dollars to these con artists or become victims of identity theft. Business Consumer Alliance (“BCA”) warns all to be aware of how the scam works and provides a simple tip to protect you from becoming a victim.
Individuals have reported that callers go so far as to use official titles and badge numbers of legitimate law enforcement officers or court officials, names of federal judges, courtroom numbers, and addresses to make their scam appear credible. After claiming that you failed to report for jury duty, they relay that you can avoid arrest by paying the fine over the phone. In other variations, the caller asks for personal information for “verification purposes”, such as your birth date or your Social Security number. The notification may even be sent by email. Con artists use these tactics to catch consumers off guard in hopes that they will be so frightened by the threat of being arrested that they share sensitive information or payment details over the phone. The information these scammers gather can easily be used to assume your identity and empty your account.
Consumers should be aware that this is not how the federal court system works. These calls and emails, which threaten recipients with fines and jail time if they do not comply, are fraudulent and are not connected with the U.S. courts. Federal courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in a telephone call or email. Most contact between a federal court and a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail, and any phone contact by real court officials will not include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive information.
Never give out personal information to any unsolicited caller. If you receive a call similar to this, contact BCA to file a complaint. Also, alert local law enforcement, your local Attorney General, and the FBI.
For information and tips on how to protect your identity, check out BCA’s Resource Guide on Identity Theft.
About Business Consumer Alliance
Business Consumer Alliance (BCA) is a non-profit company that started in 1928. The broad purpose of BCA is to promote business self-regulation. BCA's mission is achieved by assisting consumers in resolving complaints with businesses and using that complaint information, along with other relevant information such as customer reviews, to forecast business reliability. With community support, BCA can identify trustworthy and ethical businesses and warn the public to avoid unscrupulous businesses whose purpose is to defraud the marketplace. BCA also helps businesses promote themselves by providing services and tools to protect their business and reach out to their customers. BCA obtains its funding from member businesses who support the mission and purpose of the organization and who agree to abide by high standards of ethical business practices.