How to Spot the West Michigan Jury Duty Phone Scam
Most people dread the thought of being called for Jury Duty.
But even scarier then getting that call might be this scam
Authorities in West Michigan are warning residents about a jury duty scam where scammers impersonate court officials and demand cash payments.
The scammers claim the victim has missed jury duty and must pay a fine or face arrest.
How to Spot the West Michigan Jury Duty Phone Scam
The scam typically begins with a phone call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer or court official.
The caller might spoof the phone number, making it appear as if they are calling from a legitimate agency.
They may also provide real names, badge numbers, and titles of actual officials to sound more convincing.
The scammer will then allege that the victim missed a scheduled jury duty date and a warrant has been issued for their arrest.
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To avoid being jailed, the victim is instructed to immediately pay a fine, often in the form of cash, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Scammers may become aggressive, using scare tactics and threats to pressure victims into complying with their demands.
They may even pretend to transfer the call to a "supervisor" or another department to further legitimize the scam.
Law enforcement agencies emphasize that courts will never demand payment over the phone or threaten arrest for missing jury duty.
If you find yourself in this situation you should try and remain calm, ask questions, and never provide personal or financial information to unsolicited callers.
If you receive a suspicious call related to jury duty, hang up and contact the court directly using a verified phone number.
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Report any attempted scams to the following agencies
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