Authorities across the country are sounding the alarm about a growing scam that exploits one of Americans’ most basic civic responsibilities—jury duty—to trick victims into handing over money.

“Did you get a call claiming you missed jury duty and need to pay? Followed by a text or email with official-looking documents saying there’s a warrant out for your arrest? As alarming as these things sound, they’re a scam designed to steal your money,” the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in a recent news release.

According to federal officials, scammers often impersonate law enforcement officers, claiming to be U.S. Marshals, sheriff’s deputies, or local police officers. They attempt to create a sense of urgency and legitimacy, sometimes citing a victim’s name, address, or other personal details to make the story more believable.

The fraudsters frequently claim that the victim failed to appear for jury duty and warn that an arrest warrant will be issued unless an immediate payment is made.

“That moment of fear that something terrible had happened was enough to blank my brain,” said one Reddit user, who said his heart “caught in his throat” when he received a phone call from a scammer claiming to be a Harris County sheriff’s deputy. “I’d bet pretending to be police officers makes the scam very effective.”

The FTC is not the only agency raising concerns. On Thursday, a sheriff’s office in Ohio issued its own public warning about what it described as “ongoing jury duty scams.”

According to a report by Nexstar’s WJW, officials in Geauga County have received multiple complaints involving the scheme. In one case, a woman nearly lost $9,000 before her bank intervened and stopped the transaction.

The scam has been spreading for some time. Last year, the FBI’s Atlanta field office warned residents throughout Georgia about similar fraud attempts and offered guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim.

Among the FBI’s recommendations:

• Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls.

• Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.

• Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller pressures you, or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.

• If concerns remain about the caller’s claims, verify the information with the appropriate law enforcement agency or court officials.

Federal regulators stress that genuine law enforcement agencies do not operate the way these scammers claim.

For example, real police officers and court officials will not send arrest warrants through text messages or email. They also do not call people and threaten immediate arrest over the phone. Officials warn that even caller ID cannot be trusted because scammers can manipulate the number that appears on a recipient’s screen.

The FTC also notes that demands for payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or payment apps are among the clearest signs of fraud. Government agencies do not collect fines or fees over the phone using those methods.

According to the FBI, people who genuinely miss jury duty are typically notified by mail through official court correspondence—not by a surprise phone call or text message.

The FTC encourages anyone targeted by a jury-duty scam to report the incident to the agency. Additional resources are also available for individuals who have already sent money to scammers.

{Matzav.com}