US Courts Want You Aware Of A Scam That Could Easily Go National

Not many people my age can say this but, "I have never been called for jury duty".  I have no idea how they contact you or what is expected, I haven't had that life experience yet.  That is why the latest scam makes me so nervous, I don't have anything to compare it to, so it would be harder for me to detect if it was false.

The scam hasn't been detected in the Northland at the time of writing this blog, but the United States Courts felt that everyone across the country should be aware.  Right now they are seeing it happening in South Carolina and Virginia.  However if you think you've received one of these jury scam calls, you should contact the U.S. District Court here locally.

Here's how the scam works.  You would get a call telling you that had been chosen for jury duty and that you did not show up, now you have a fine to pay.  They would ask you to bring cash or prepaid credit cards (red flag there!) to the courthouse and arrange to meet you there.  The callers would say they are court officials or law enforcement officers, but in actuality, they are impersonators.  Don't you feel violated when someone takes advantage of you like this?  I'm most concerned for our older generation, they are perfect prey for scams like this.  They don't understand, don't question and most prefer to use cash over the new forms of payment technology, so they are prime.

Your best fight against this is being aware and cautious at all times.  Take time to verify before you give out personal information or meet with people you don't know, especially if they are asking for money.