What to know and do about this scam

Once again, Newport News residents are reporting that they’re receiving “jury duty scam” phone calls. In the current rendition of the scam, a caller identifies himself as a member of the Newport News Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agency.  He calls the person by name and says he or she will be arrested for missing jury duty. In calls made recently, a man says he’s Anthony Livingston with the Sheriff’s Office. He says the person missed federal jury duty and must pay $1500 by Green Dot card or be put in jail without bond. 

It’s important to know that you will NEVER be called and threatened for missing jury duty whether it’s for a county, city or federal court. A telltale sign of the scheme is that the caller ALWAYS says you need to send money to avoid being arrested or to make an arrest warrant go away. 

Remember that all communication about jury duty is done through the mail and that no law enforcement agency official will ever call and threaten you with arrest for missing jury duty and they will never demand money. 

If you receive this type of call, hang up, even if the call sounds legitimate. You can call the courts and law enforcement agencies to verify whether you have been selected for jury duty.  However, do not call any number the scammer may have given you and do not call the number that may appear on your caller ID.  It is also important that you avoid the urge to pay after speaking to someone on the phone, especially if you’re being asked to pay a fairly small amount of money. 

For more information about scams or how to file a consumer protection complaint, visit the Attorney General Consumer page.  You can also subscribe to receive scam alerts.  The more aware you are about potential schemes, the less likely you are to be scammed.