Report Scammers Seeking Payment for Missing Jury Duty

PHOENIX (March 20, 2024) – If you receive a phone call asking you to pay fines for missing jury duty – you’re getting scammed.

In the Superior Court for Maricopa County, fines associated with missing jury duty can only be ordered by a judge in court – not over the phone.

“The phone scam is elaborate and very believable. The fraudsters misrepresent themselves as law enforcement and threaten people with jail if they don’t pay their fines. They will even go as far as providing the name of a real detective,” Jury Administrator Matthew Martin said. “If you receive one of these calls, please disconnect and reach out to us to verify any claims being made.”  

The scammers will usually demand payment via prepaid debit card. In previous years, the jury office received envelopes in the mail with prepaid cards from community members as proof they had paid their fines by phone. This was a red flag since the Jury Office does not receive money in the mail. The scam has defrauded the people of Maricopa County thousands of dollars. 

“We had a juror send us a receipt for a payment in the amount of $300 for failure to appear to jury service. We hadn’t even summoned this juror, but the scam caller told them they missed their date of service and owed a fine,” Martin said.
  
If targeted by a jury scam, write down the phone number of the caller and then call police. Do not give the caller any personal information or agree to provide any payment. Scam perpetrators will do all they can to insist you stay on the phone with them the entire time. This is a red flag. When in doubt, a person may verify their jury service status by calling the jury office at 602-506-5879.

According to new FBI data, U.S. residents lost an estimated $1.3 billion last year in scams like this one, with fraudsters pretending to be from the government or “tech support.” In 2023 in Arizona, victims lost $324.4 million – one of the top states for losses. Nationwide, victims are of all ages, with only 40% of those taken in by fraudsters reported as being age 60 or older, according to the FBI.

Jury Service is a vital component of the American justice system. The United States and Arizona constitutions guarantee the right of trial by jury. Therefore, all Maricopa County residents who are 18 years and older, a U.S. citizen and never been convicted of a felony or have had their civil rights restored are obligated to serve on a jury.  Citizens over 75 years of age may be excused from jury service by written request. Also, anyone who appeared for jury service is exempt from serving for 18 months.

To learn more about jury service and how to respond to a jury summons in Maricopa County, please visit: https://superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/jury/.

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