South MS residents are falling for this scam. Here’s what to look for, how to respond
If you receive a call about missed jury duty in federal court and are told you owe a fine, and might even have to serve time in jail, be advised that you are dealing with a scam.
“In recent weeks we have seen an increase of impersonators calling the public and using names of actual law enforcement officers and even federal judges informing the public they have missed jury duty and a fine or bond must now be paid,” said Chief Deputy U. S. Marshal Shermaine Sullivan of the Southern District of Mississippi.
The Southern District covers federal courts in Mississippi from Jackson south, while the Northern District includes federal courts north of Jackson.
Southern District residents have been receiving calls and/or emails that threaten prosecution, including finds and jail time, for failing to appear for jury service, a news release from the Southern District court administrator and Marshals Service says.
The calls and emails, the court says, are fraudulent. The court also warns the scammer or scammers might ask residents for confidential information, such as a Social Security or driver’s license numbers or mother’s maiden name.
“The public should know that while jury service is mandatory and important, no one from law enforcement or the courts will contact a juror who fails to appear by phone and demand payment of a fine,” Chief Judge Dan Jordan said. “While the clerk’s office may occasionally reach out to jurors by phone, it never does so to request payment. Such a request is a key indicator that the call is a scam.”
The federal court initially contacts a prospective juror through U.S. mail to complete a juror qualification questionnaire, which the juror might subsequently fill out on a secure court website. Federal court personnel never ask over the telephone for Social Security numbers, credit card information, bank routing numbers or any other sensitive information..
What scam victims should do
Anyone who suspects they have been contacted by a scammer, or has questions, can call Clerk of Court Arthur Johnston or Chief Deputy Marshal Sullivan. Johnson can be reached at 601-608-4010 or Arthur_Johnston@mssd.uscourts.gov, while Sullivan is at 601-608-6800, or Shermaine_Sullivan@usdoj.gov.
To learn more about juror scams, see this U.S. Courts web page.
Scammers, the court news release says, might go to great lengths to sound credible.
“They sometimes provide information like badge numbers, names of actual law enforcement officers and federal judges, and courthouse addresses,” the news release says. “They may even claim that an ‘arrest warrant’ has been issued for you.”
Anyone who believes they have been scammed should report the incident to their local Federal Bureau of Investigation office. Those reporting scams can remain anonymous. If a scammer provides a court order, authenticate it by calling the clerk of the court’s office of the U.S. District Court in your area and verify the court order. The Gulfport office services the Mississippi Coast and that number is 228-563-1700.
