Jury Duty Scammers Still Targeting Unsuspecting Victims With Phone Calls Threatening Arrest

a fake public official claims that an arrest warrant was or will be issued for your arrest, but that you can pay a fine now to settle the matter

Each year millions of Americans receive genuine jury summons by mail and comply with their civic duty, yet scammers exploit the fear of arrest to trick callers into paying bogus fines. In 2025 these fraudsters use AI-generated voices and spoofed Caller ID numbers matching local courthouses or sheriff departments. They threaten immediate arrest, suspension of drivers licenses and even deportation unless you wire funds, load prepaid debit cards or read gift card codes to them over the phone. Understanding their tactics and knowing how to respond protects you, your neighbors and your credit.

How Jury Duty Scams Work Today

Scammers typically begin with a pre-recorded or deepfake call claiming to be from your county court, the sheriff’s office or the U.S. Marshals Service. The message states that you failed to appear for jury duty on a specific date, that a warrant was issued and that law enforcement will arrest you within 24 hours. You are instructed to call a “clerk” or “dispatcher” to pay a fine, often $500 to $1,000—to clear the warrant. They insist on payment via gift cards, prepaid debit cards or certain cryptocurrency platforms because those methods cannot be reversed and are hard to trace.

Spoofed Numbers and Fake Official Credentials

Modern scammers use VoIP services to display official court or sheriff office phone numbers on your Caller ID. They may even provide a genuine address or reference real case numbers. If you ask for verification, they offer to transfer you to a “supervisor” or repeat the summons details. They may read sections of your county code or recite state statutes to sound authoritative. All this is designed to pressure you into compliance before you seek independent verification.

Why Gift Cards and Prepaid Debit Cards?

Gift cards and prepaid debit cards are untraceable once activated. The scammer tells you to purchase $200 to $2,000 in cards, Green Dot MoneyPak, Vanilla, iTunes, Amazon or PayPal gift cards are common. You read the 16-digit codes aloud, and the scammer immediately redeems them or sells them on secondary markets. Cryptocurrency options like Bitcoin or stablecoins serve the same purpose, transferring value anonymously across borders. Once the scammer has the code or wallet address, your money is gone.

Red Flags to Help You Spot a Scam

• Threats of arrest, license suspension or arrest warrants if you do not comply immediately
• Demands to pay a fine via gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfer or cryptocurrency
• Display of local courthouse or law enforcement phone number on Caller ID using spoofing
• Unsolicited calls or texts, real jury duty notices arrive by mail only
• Recorded messages or deepfake voices instead of live operators
• Pressure to act within a very short window, such as 24 hours
• Requests for personal information like Social Security number, bank account or credit card details

What Legitimate Jury Summons Look Like

Official jury summons are sent through the U.S. Postal Service on court letterhead or by certified mail. They include your name, address, case number, appearance date, court location and instructions about parking and security procedures. You will never receive a jury summons via phone call, text message or email without first receiving a mailed notice. No court clerk or marshal will demand payment by gift card, crypto or reloadable debit card to avoid arrest.

Steps to Take If You Receive a Scam Call

1. Hang up immediately, do not press any keys or call back. 2. Do not provide any personal or financial information. 3. Report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) online at TIGTA and to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. 4. Contact your local county jury office using the phone number on your mailed summons or the official court website to confirm your jury status. 5. File a complaint with your phone carrier’s spam reporting system and enable call-blocking or spam-filtering services to reduce robocalls.

Protecting Vulnerable Communities

Elderly citizens and non–English speakers are often the most vulnerable targets, as they may be less aware of digital scams or more fearful of legal consequences. Share this information with older relatives and neighbors. Encourage them to verify jury duty notices with a trusted family member or friend before taking any action. Community centers and senior organizations in North Carolina can host fraud-prevention workshops, contact your local Area Agency on Aging for resources.

Reporting Scams in North Carolina

North Carolina residents can report jury duty and other impersonation scams to the NC Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division at 919-716-6000. File an online complaint to trigger an investigation and help authorities track scam patterns. You may also report to the NC Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-855-408-1212 if the scam targets senior identities. Local sheriff offices may not have authority to prosecute out-of-state callers, but aggregated tip data helps law enforcement agencies coordinate multi-jurisdictional crackdowns on call centers.

Leveraging Technology to Block Scams

Install call-blocking apps such as Nomorobo, YouMail or the FCC’s free Call Blocking service. Many mobile carriers offer spam identification and blocking features, enable them in your account settings. Use the built-in spam filter on iOS or Android, and regularly update your phone’s operating system to benefit from improved scam-detection algorithms. Silence unknown callers and whitelist only trusted numbers. These simple steps reduce exposure to thousands of scam calls per month.

Educate and Empower Your Network

Post bulletins on community boards, social media or neighborhood email groups warning of jury duty scams. Encourage friends and family to share experiences and suspicious voice recordings. Schools and workplaces can include scam awareness in regular safety bulletins. The more individuals recognize red flags, the fewer victims scammers can exploit.

Beyond Jury Duty Scams

Jury duty imposters are just one variant of law-enforcement impersonation. Similar scams involve IRS threats, warrant messages about unpaid child support, or fake U.S. Marshals notices demanding payment for fabricated fines. All operate on the same principle, create panic, demand untraceable payment and vanish. Stay alert to any unsolicited call threatening legal action, and verify every claim independently using official contact information.

By understanding modern scam techniques, verifying official jury summons protocols and using available reporting and blocking tools, you can protect yourself and your community from these fraudulent threats. Always remember: if you did not receive a mailed jury notice and the caller demands payment by gift card or crypto, it is a scam, hang up and report it.