The U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada warned on Apr. 14 that forged warrants, phone calls, and emails seeking money for missing jury service are fraudulent.
This warning is important because scammers have been impersonating federal court officials to trick people into giving up sensitive information or making payments under false pretenses. Jury duty is described as a vital civic responsibility and privilege, but the court said it is a crime to falsely represent oneself as a federal official.
According to the statement, “Federal courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in a telephone call or email. Most contact between a federal court and a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail, and any phone contact by real court officials will not include requests for payments, Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or any sensitive information.” The statement further explained that individuals should be cautious if they receive suspicious communications related to jury service.
“Jury duty is a vital civic responsibility and a privilege which should be taken seriously by all citizens. However, it is a crime for anyone to falsely represent himself or herself as a federal court official. The federal judiciary takes such an offense seriously,” the release said.
The court advised that anyone receiving such calls or emails should not provide personal information or make payments. Instead, recipients are urged to immediately notify Jury Administrators in Las Vegas at (702) 464-5600 or in Reno at (775) 686-5614.
As scams targeting potential jurors continue nationwide, officials stress vigilance among citizens when responding to unsolicited communications about jury service.
