Deputies warn about new jury summons scam calls in Fresno County
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Residents have reported receiving calls from an employee with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office about a jury summons that says they failed to attend and they have to pay a penalty.
These calls, deputies say, are spam calls. The person making these random phone calls to citizens would identify himself as a deputy with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and would even use an employee’s name. In this case, they used the name of Lt. Ryan Gilbert, but scammers are known to use other names as well.
Deputies warn the incoming number on the citizen’s caller ID may even say Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, but this number is not from their official phone lines. Sheriff’s officials say the caller spoofs the ID to entice the citizen to take the phone call.
The Sheriff’s Office says the scammer claims the citizens have failed to report for jury duty, so a warrant was issued for their arrest. The fake deputy tells his target they must pay a certain amount of money in fines to avoid being arrested and taken to jail. To pay those fines, the person needs to call to a local number that the scammer gives them.
Once they call, deputies say the caller reaches a recording stating they have reached the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and it goes on to say the only payment accepted is cash and it must be made through an electronic kiosk located at the department. The recording prompts the person to wait for a deputy to come onto the line, however, no one ever picks up so they are told to leave a message and the deputy will call them back.
Sheriff’s officials say they have also received reports in which the scam artists direct a person to purchase gift cards and read them the security codes on it, allowing the suspect to access the money. Some gift cards requested include Vanilla Visa and Green Dot MoneyPak. The requests are usually made for hundreds of dollars.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office wants to make it clear to the public that it never makes solicitations for money or asks for the payment of fines over the phone. They warn these tactics tend to come in waves.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone who might have received a call of this nature to not give in to the caller’s demands and not give them any personal information. They encourage citizens to document any information regarding the call, such as the caller’s name or phone number, and report it to law enforcement.
Those living in Fresno County can report this incident online by clicking here and clicking on “Report a Crime” located at the top of the page. Then, select “Harassing Phone Call” to make a report.
Residents can also make a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission by clicking here.
