Phone scam uses jury duty story
Article published on Thursday, April 6, 2006
PINELLAS COUNTY – Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson alerted consumers to a growing identity theft scam in which con artists posing as courthouse workers claim that the person being called has failed to report for jury duty.
The scam typically involves a call from a person claiming to be a jury coordinator who informs the person being called that a warrant has been issued for his or her arrest as a result of the person’s failure to appear for jury duty. When the intended victim protests and reports that they’ve never received a summons to report for jury duty, they are asked for a Social Security number, a date of birth and sometimes even a bank account number.
“If you get such a call, hang up and avoid providing any personal or financial information over the phone,” Bronson said. “Court workers don’t call on the phone to inform you that you’ve missed a jury duty summons.”
Article published on Thursday, April 6, 2006
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