Hunterdon County Sheriff Warns Public About Jury Summons Scam

FLEMINGTON, NJ - At the July meeting, Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown updated the Commissioner Board about an active scam that is currently going on in the county and surrounding
region.

The scam begins with a caller posing as an official local law enforcement officer, including using names of actual officers, who then asserts the homeowner is being charged for failing to report for jury duty. The scammers then aggressively ask for a fine to be paid with either a credit card or purchase of a gift card to avoid being arrested.

Commissioner John Lanza, who also serves as the liaison to the Sheriff’s Office stated, “We appreciate Sheriff Brown taking the time to update the Board about this recent scam and how Hunterdon County and the Judiciary are taking the necessary steps to alert people about it. It is a good reminder that the best way to avoid becoming a victim to scams like
this is to never, under any circumstances, give out personal information over the phone or
on the internet.”

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Sheriff Brown informed that residents being contacted for jury duty would never be called in person or threatened with arrest. Furthermore, no official sheriff’s officer would ever ask for personal information or a credit card. Residents are warned to never provide a social security number, bank account numbers, or a credit card number without verifying that the person and organization asking for the information is legitimate.

Commissioner Lanza shared in closing, “Remember to stay vigilant and help spread awareness to prevent others from falling victim to scams.” Should a resident receive a call requesting payment for a missed jury duty assignment or have any questions regarding this scam, please contact the Hunterdon County Sheriff's
Office at 908-788-1166.

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