What is a jury duty scam?
Jury duty scams are fraudulent phone calls, text messages, emails, or in-person contact by individuals outside of the Judiciary that threatens arrest for failing to appear for jury duty. These messages demand payment or request confidential information that can be used for identity theft.
How to identify a scam
The Judiciary does not use any money-transfer applications. Examples include PayPal, Venmo, or Cash App. Court officials will never ask for payment to avoid arrest for failing to report for jury duty and will never request personal identifiers, such as:
- Bank account or credit card number
- Social security number
- Passport number
- Driver's license number
- Taxpayer identification number
- Medical ID and/or Group number
The Judiciary does use phone calls, text messages, and email communications to assist jurors with their service, but those communications will never ask for payment or personal identifiers other than date of birth and residential address.
What to do if you suspect a scam
If you suspect fraudulent communication, do not respond and do not click on any links. Immediately contact your county jury management office as well as local law enforcement.