Coles Co. Sheriff warns again of jury duty scam

COLES COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — The Coles County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a common scam tactic going around the community again.

Officials said they’ve become aware of Coles County residents being called by someone claiming to be a deputy, stating that the call recipient missed jury duty, and a warrant had been issued for their arrest. The so-called “deputy” instructs the recipient to send money to avoid arrest, by either purchasing gift cards or wiring money to a so-called “government account.”

This is a scam, and it’s one the Coles County Sheriff’s Office has warned of in the past . The Sheriff’s Office will never ask for money over the phone, and it does not accept payments in the form of Bitcoin, gift cards and other nontraditional forms of payment.

Other warning signs the Sheriff’s Office noted include:

• Unsolicited contact , with calls or emails coming without warning
• High pressure tactics , with scammers using fear and urgency and saying victims cannot hang up or tell anyone else
• Request for personal information , such as Social Security Number, bank account details or credit card numbers
• Demand for immediate payment

If people receive a phone call with these warning signs, they are advised to never give out personal information over the phone to unsolicited contacts. They should hang up and then call their local jury office or law enforcement agency immediately to verify if there are any legitimate issues regarding jury duty or warrants.

The Coles County Sheriff’s Office can be reached by calling 217-348-7332. Even if it appears that the scam phone call came from this phone number, calling the number will connect someone with a real deputy.

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