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Jury Duty Scam: FBI Alert & How to Avoid Being a Victim

In summary, the caller claims to be with the court system and asks for your Social Security number and date of birth. If you give out this information, your identity was just stolen.
chefkristin
chefkristin
Gold Member
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Jury Duty Scam DO NOT DELETE WITHOUT READING !

This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surf aced.

The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the inform action and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen.

The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado . This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.

Check it out here: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206htm

And here: Urban Legends Reference Pages: Jury Duty Scam
 
Ick... I don't believe any folks who try to call me for anything. I had it out with my mortgage company even who wanted to sign me up for something new. I told them to mail it to me. I don't know if they really were my mortgage company. Geesh... Even with Caller ID it's hard to tell sometimes. Thanks for the warning Kristin. I think it's easy just to not trust ANYONE on the phone when they call you, especially if they start asking for info to 'verify' who you are. Uhhhh... and how can WE verify who THEY are? We can't... I think it's healthy to be a little paranoid these days.
 
If someone asks me for the last four digits of my SS number, I just ask them to tell ME the last four digits of my SS number and I'll verify that it's correct. They don't like that very much.
 
The_Kitchen_Guy said:
If someone asks me for the last four digits of my SS number, I just ask them to tell ME the last four digits of my SS number and I'll verify that it's correct. They don't like that very much.
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Good idea!
 
KG, you are wise and brilliant beyond your years! :)
 
Well, TY but I fear my years are well past my wisdom and brilliance.
 
The caller id isn't always helpful, I agree! The other day, I got a call about our checking account from our local bank. Apparently, a check my husband wrote somehow got "deposited" back into our account, and they wanted our permission to run it through again. Kinda weird, really.

But, the really bizarre part was, the caller id number had so many numbers on it, I thought it was Mexico calling me or something! They didn't ask for any information, so I didn't think it was a big deal, really, but you definitely have to ALWAYS be careful!!

Paula
 

1. What is the Jury Duty Scam?

The Jury Duty Scam is a fraudulent scheme in which scammers pose as representatives from the FBI or other law enforcement agencies and contact individuals claiming that they have failed to appear for jury duty. They then demand payment for a fine or threaten arrest if the victim does not comply.

2. How do scammers contact their victims?

Scammers may contact their victims through phone calls, emails, or even text messages. They may use official-sounding language and may even provide fake badge numbers or case numbers to make their story seem more legitimate.

3. How can I spot a Jury Duty Scam?

There are a few red flags that can help you identify a Jury Duty Scam. These include being asked for personal information, such as your social security number or bank account details, being threatened with arrest or fines, and being asked to make a payment through a wire transfer or prepaid gift card.

4. What should I do if I receive a call or email about missing jury duty?

If you receive a call or email about missing jury duty, do not provide any personal information or make any payments. Hang up the phone or delete the email and report the incident to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. You can also contact your local FBI field office for further assistance.

5. How can I protect myself from falling victim to the Jury Duty Scam?

To protect yourself from the Jury Duty Scam, remember to never give out personal information to unsolicited callers or emails. Be cautious of anyone demanding immediate payment or threatening consequences if you do not comply. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a call or email, contact the relevant agency directly using their official phone number or email address.

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