Jury duty scammer targets Norfolk residents, claims they’ll be arrested if they don’t pay hefty fine
NORFOLK — A common jury duty scam committed in cities across the country, cheating people out of thousands of dollars, is targeting Norfolk residents, according to court officials.
In the current scam, a caller tells residents they missed their assigned jury duty, and have been found in contempt of court. The caller also informs them that they must pay a fine between $1,500 to $5,000, or risk being arrested.
The caller has been known to cite specific details, including the names of two local Circuit Court judges he claims issued the fines and ordered the arrests. He also has said his name is Jack Tiernan, a law clerk who works for two of the court’s judges.
Tiernan said Friday he’s been contacted by about a half-dozen citizens who’ve been targeted over the past couple weeks. None paid the fine that was demanded, he said, although one woman came to the courthouse and was about to make payment when she learned it was fraudulent.
The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office has placed a notice on its website informing citizens that court officials will never call and ask for a payment, credit card or social security number for failure to appear for jury duty. The notice urges citizens to never give personal information over the phone or email, and to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
