Translate
OREGON CITY, Or. – If you receive a call from someone claiming that you missed jury duty and are facing arrest or fines, you’re dealing with a scammer, said Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth.
The District Attorney’s Office has received several calls recently from people who have been targeted by scammers demanding personal information and payment of fees to avoid arrest, Wentworth said.
One District Attorney’s Office employee was a target of the scam and was told he had to pay $6,000 to avoid prosecution. “He sounded pretty convincing,” the employee said.
“These scammers are not just stealing money; they are undermining public trust in our judicial system. My office will aggressively prosecute anyone caught participating in these scams,” Wentworth said.
The scammers claim to be calling on behalf of local law enforcement or the “Attorney General’s Office” and stating that call recipients missed federal jury duty and a warrant has been issued. The scammers may have the full name, address and birth dates of the people they call.
“I understand these calls can be frightening, especially when scammers use official-sounding language and claim you’ll be arrested. But remember, no legitimate court official will ever call demanding immediate payment or threaten you with immediate arrest for jury duty-related issues,” Wentworth said.
Jury duty scams are a perennial problem.
The Oregon Department of Justice notes that Oregon's state courts will never do these things:
• Require you to provide sensitive information over the phone, email, or text. (We may text you with jury notices and reminders.)
• Threaten you or demand money in relation to jury service.
• Require you to pay money to respond to a jury summons or to complete your online questionnaire.
Oregon state courts may text you with jury notices and reminders. However, these texts will not request personal information, make threats, or demand money, according to the Oregon Department of Justice.