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Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller, Rachel M. Sadoff, is urging citizens to be aware of a jury duty scam. Scammers typically impersonate law enforcement, clerk employees, or other government officials using the real names of individuals in those positions. Scammers threaten that if money is not paid, the individual will be subject to arrest. THIS IS A SCAM!
To guard against jury duty scams, follow these tips:
• Jury duty summons will come by mail, not by phone or email. If no jury duty summons is received, then ignore a phone call from anyone claiming to be calling about jury duty.
• Never give personal or financial information over the phone to a stranger, especially if the caller acts aggressively.
• Anyone asking for payments to be made through any type of gift card or Bitcoin is a scammer. Scammers are contacting Florida residents claiming they missed jury duty and requesting residents to pay a fine or bond by purchasing a gift card or Bitcoin. Most scammers are asking for a Green Dot MoneyPak.
• Be wary of Caller ID, as this can be spoofed, making a phone call look like it is coming from a real source.
• Arrest warrants are not issued for failure to report for jury duty. However, if you do fail to report, you may receive a summons or letter to appear before a judge and show cause for your absence.
• Do not respond to unfamiliar emails with any of your personal information.
Report suspected jury duty scams to our office by calling our Fraud, Waste and Abuse hotline at 321-637-6541. Anyone who encounters a jury duty scam, or any other type of fraud, should also file a complaint with their local Police Department or Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Attorney General’s Office online at MyFloridaLegal.com or by calling 1-866-9NO-SCAM.