Madison County Sheriff’s Office warns of jury duty scams

MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) is warning residents of a recent uptick in jury duty-related telephone scams.

MCSO said the scammers have been claiming that their victims missed jury duty while posing as representatives of law enforcement and the court system. Authorities said the scammers then tell residents that they will be arrested unless they do as they say.

The sheriff’s office said victims of the scam reported they received automated or live calls from individuals claiming to be from the court and telling the residents they must pay a fine or be arrested over missed jury duty. According to MCSO, the scammers use threatening language and try to create a sense of urgency to get residents to comply.

MCSO said the scammers may even provide what appears to be legal documents to trick their victims.

Here is an example of one of these fake documents:

The sheriff’s office said this is a scam and that no legitimate court or law enforcement agency will contact you by phone and demand payment or personal information.

“We understand that these scams can be alarming and stressful for our citizens,” Sheriff Kevin Turner said. “We want to reassure the citizens of this county that we are doing everything in our power to identify and apprehend the individuals responsible for these scams.”

MSCO said that to avoid becoming victims of scams like this one residents should remember the following tips:

• Never give personal or financial information to someone you don’t know or trust.
• Avoid unsolicited calls or emails asking for payment or personal information.
• Verify the caller’s identity by contacting the court or law enforcement agency directly.
• Do not make payments or provide sensitive information over the phone.

The sheriff’s office said if you have received a similar call and are concerned about its legitimacy you should call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office at (256) 722-7181.

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