A jury duty scam is a targeted fraud where criminals pretend to be law enforcement or court officials and claim you’ve missed jury service—then threaten penalties unless you pay immediately. 

How it works:

• You get a phone call, voicemail, email, or even a text from someone claiming to be a sheriff, court clerk, or federal officer. 
• They say you failed to appear for jury duty and now face: 
  
  • Arrest 
  • Fines 
  • A warrant 
• To “fix” the problem, they demand immediate payment—often via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. 

Common tactics:

• Caller ID spoofing to look like a real courthouse or police department 
• Using official-sounding names or badge numbers 
• Telling you to stay on the phone so you can’t verify the story 
• Creating urgency and fear to pressure quick payment 

Red flags:

• Threats of immediate arrest unless you pay 
• Requests for payment via gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers 
• Being told not to hang up or not to contact anyone else 
• Poor grammar or inconsistent details in emails/messages 

The truth:

• Courts do not call or email demanding payment for missed jury duty 
• Legitimate jury notices come by mail, and penalties are handled through official court procedures—not instant payments over the phone 

How to protect yourself:

• Hang up and contact your local court using an official number 
• Never give out personal or financial information to unsolicited callers 
• Talk to someone you trust if you feel pressured 

If you’re targeted:

Report it to the Federal Trade Commission and your local law enforcement.

Here’s an example script of how a jury duty scam call often sounds, to help you recognize the tactics:

Scam Call Example:

Scammer: “Hello, this is Officer Daniels with the County Sheriff’s Office. Am I speaking with [your name]?”

You: “Yes…”

Scammer: “I’m calling to inform you that you failed to appear for federal jury duty last week. There is now a bench warrant issued for your arrest.”

You: “What? I never got anything!”

Scammer: “That’s not uncommon. Sometimes notices get lost in the mail. However, you signed a summons, and failure to appear is a serious offense.”

(This is a lie to make it sound official.)

Scammer (more urgent): “At this point, you have two options:

1. Comply immediately and avoid arrest. 

2. Refuse, and officers will be dispatched to your location today.” 

You: “What do I need to do?”

Scammer: “To place a hold on the warrant, you must pay a $1,500 bond today. This must be done through a secure government payment system.”

(They’ll often avoid normal payment methods.)

You: “Can I come to the courthouse?”

Scammer (blocking verification): “No, due to the active warrant, you must remain on the phone. If you disconnect, it will be considered noncompliance.”

Scammer (final push): “Go to the nearest store and purchase government-certified payment cards (gift cards). Stay on the line while you do this.”

 

What to notice in the script:

• Fear tactic: “warrant,” “arrest,” “officers dispatched” 
• Urgency: “must act now” 
• Isolation: “stay on the phone” 
• Unusual payment: gift cards or crypto 
• Refusal to let you verify 

 

What a real court would do:

• Send official notice by mail, not demand payment by phone 
• Never ask for payment via gift cards or crypto 
• Give you time and a formal process to respond 

 

Here are two simple, effective response scripts you can use if you get a jury duty scam call. The goal is to stop the conversation quickly and safely—you don’t need to argue or prove anything.

 

Option 1: Direct shutdown

You: “I don’t handle legal matters over the phone. I’ll contact the court directly.”
(Hang up immediately.)

 

Option 2: Verification approach

You: “Please give me your name, department, and case number. I’ll call the courthouse to verify.”

Scammer: *Tries to keep you on the line*

You: “I will verify this independently. Goodbye.”
(Hang up.)

 

Key rules while responding:

• Do not stay on the phone (they rely on pressure.) 
• Do not provide personal info (Social Security Number, date of birth, address, etc.) 
• Do not send money under any circumstance. 
• It’s always safe to hang up first, verify later. 

 

After you hang up:

• Look up your local court’s official number and call them directly 
• Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission and local law enforcement.