Authorities are warning about a common phone scam that’s back again this year, according to media reports across the country.
It has been called the jury duty scam — and it’s coming after your money!
Jury duty scam: What you need to know
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KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City reports that a woman lost $3,200 after a scammer called her and said she would be taken to jail if she didn’t pay up.
Here’s exactly how the jury duty scam works:
1. First, the victim receives a call from someone pretending to be a member of law enforcement. The caller tells the victim they’ve missed jury duty and there’s a warrant out for their arrest.
2. The scammer then says the victim can avoid jail time by paying a fine, usually with a prepaid card.
3. Then, the con artist may ask to confirm personal information that could be used to steal the victim’s identity, including their Social Security number.
4. Finally, the scammer asks the victim to make a payment over the phone.
The verdict: It’s a scam!
AARP says the key things to remember are that jury duty notifications are typically delivered by mail, and police won’t call you in advance to warn about an impending arrest.
Bottom line: If you answer a call like this, hang up. Better yet, let calls from unfamiliar numbers go to voicemail.
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