The “Oops, I Missed Jury Duty” Scam – Now with Extra Tech!

Ah, jury duty. That civic responsibility we all hope to dodge but still end up with. But what if you get a call from the “police” saying you missed it and need to cough up some cash? Before you start planning your jailbreak, let’s break down this latest scam.

The Scam Call Breakdown

Imagine a call from someone claiming to be an officer from your local police department. Sounds serious, right? They sternly inform you that you’ve missed jury duty and, dun dun dun, will be arrested unless you pay a fine. They even direct you to a website to enter your personal info to “sort it all out.” Spoiler alert: It’s as fake as a reality TV romance!

What’s Really Happening?

These crafty scammers are using technology to spoof caller IDs, making it look like the call is coming from your local PD. Then, they lure you to a website that seems super official. We’re talking government seals and URLs that would make a bureaucrat blush. But it’s all a façade to get your birthdate, Social Security number, and potentially $10,000 in fake fines. They might even suggest you trot over to a mythical “government kiosk” to pay in cryptocurrency. I mean, who knew the government was so into Bitcoin?

How to Outsmart the Scammers

  1. Real Cops Don’t Call to Threaten Arrest: If someone calls threatening arrest over the phone, it’s a scam, not a scene from a bad cop show.

  2. Check, Don’t Click: Instead of clicking on any suspicious links, independently look up the court’s real website for jury duty info or call the court directly using a number you know is legit.

  3. Payment Red Flags: Scammers love untraceable payment methods like cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrencies. If that’s what they’re asking for, they’re not just suspicious; they’re downright guilty.

  4. Hang Up and Report: If you find yourself on the receiving end of one of these calls, don’t entertain them. Hang up and report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Remember, knowledge is your best defense. Stay informed, stay safe, and maybe start a Netflix series instead of answering unknown calls. After all, the only courtroom drama you should be dealing with is the one on TV!

For more details on this scam, check out the original article here.

Original article: https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/08/scammers-are-using-fake-websites-twist-jury-duty-scams