Authorities Warn Wayne County Residents Of Jury Duty Scam Call
WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. (CBS Detroit) -- Residents in Wayne County are being warned of a phone scam in which the caller impersonates a Wayne County Sheriff's Office official, claiming the resident failed to appear for jury and must pay to avoid being arrested.
A warning from the Michigan Attorney General's office comes after the Third Circuit Court alerted that some residents reported the call, which the scammer says they were in contempt of court.
According to a news release from Third Circut Court, the sheriff's office impersonator claimed a Venmo payment between $1,500 and $2,000 was needed to prevent the resident from being arrested.
"Residents should be advised neither the Wayne County Sheriff's Department nor the Third Circuit Court contacts Wayne County residents by telephone or email in an effort to collect funds for allegations for missed jury service," read the news release.
Anyone who receives a similar request is advised not to make the payment and contact the Wayne County Sheriff's Office at 313-224-0414.
Information that should be reported when contacting authorities about a scam call includes:
- The date and exact time of the call;
- The number that that call came from; and
- Whether you were contacted on a landline, cell phone or via text message.
"Bad actors will go to great lengths to scam unsuspecting people – even impersonate law enforcement and threaten action," said Attorney General DanaNessel. "I hope everyone takes the time to read this warning from the Third Circuit Court and becomes familiar with other ways impersonation scams target consumers."
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