Fraudsters Demand Payment for Missing Jury Service
PHOENIX (July 22, 2024) – Jury service phone scams are on the rise. Don’t be a victim!
Over the last couple months, the Superior Court Jury Office has received an uptick of phone calls from Maricopa County residents reporting that they received phone calls from fraudsters demanding they pay fines and fees for missing jury service. In many cases, the scammer threatened jail time for not paying jury fines via a prepaid gift card.
“The scams are very sophisticated and believable. The fraudsters may pose as law enforcement, even going as far as using the identities of actual officers and changing their caller IDs to make the scam more believable,” Jury Administrator Matthew Martin said. “To protect yourself, just remember that the jury office will never call individuals demanding payment for any reason. Fines and fees associated with missing jury service can only be ordered by a judge in court.”
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. When in doubt, a person may verify their jury service status by calling the jury office at 602-506-5879.
“If someone were to miss jury service the Court would issue a failure to appear notice through the U.S. Mail, and potential jurors are asked to reschedule jury service for a later date,” Martin said.
According to 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 constitution's 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/