US ‘jury duty’ scam explained: 7 red flags and what to do if you get a suspicious call

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned about scams that use claims about missed jury duty to demand money or personal information. The FTC said scammers may follow such calls with texts or emails containing fake arrest warrants and other official-looking documents.

The scams can make the caller appear convincing. The person may claim to be a US Marshal, police officer or court official. The caller may already know your name or address. The phone number may also appear to belong to a real government agency.

The scam has also caused significant financial losses. In a recent Florida case reported by The Wall Street Journal, a woman lost $25,000 after scammers told her she had missed federal jury duty and faced arrest. The scammers kept her on the phone for hours and directed her to make cryptocurrency payments.

What are the red flags?

1. The caller says you missed jury duty and will be arrested

This is one of the clearest warning signs. Scammers often claim that the person failed to appear for jury service and that an arrest warrant has been issued.

The FTC says consumers should ignore calls, texts and emails that threaten arrest because they missed jury duty. Federal courts have also warned that scammers use the threat of arrest to pressure people into paying money.

2. Scammers demand money immediately

A caller who says you must pay immediately to avoid arrest is a major red flag. The FTC warns that scammers may demand money after claiming that a person missed jury duty and faces arrest. The agency says people should not send money or share financial information in response to such calls. 

3. Scammers ask for cryptocurrency or gift cards

The payment method itself can expose the scam. The FTC says scammers may demand cryptocurrency, gift cards, payment apps or wire transfers. Federal courts have issued similar warnings. These payment methods can make it difficult for victims to recover their money once they send it.

4. They ask for your Social Security number or other sensitive information

A caller may ask for personal information while pretending to verify your identity. Federal courts say legitimate jury-service communications do not ask prospective jurors for sensitive information such as Social Security numbers or financial details over unsolicited calls or emails.

5. They send a fake arrest warrant

A scammer may follow a call with a document that looks like an official warrant or court notice. The FTC has warned about fake arrest warrants being sent by text or email as part of the jury-duty scam. 

Federal courts have also warned that scammers can use official-looking documents to make their claims appear genuine.

6. The caller ID shows a real court or government number

A familiar number does not prove that the caller is genuine. Federal courts have warned about caller-ID spoofing, where scammers make a call appear to come from a court or government agency. 

7. The caller knows official details about you or the court

Scammers may know your name, address or other information. They may also provide real court addresses, names of officials, badge numbers or case details. That information can make the call sound convincing. Federal court warnings say scammers can use real government information while impersonating officials.

What should you do if you get such a call?

The safest step is to hang up and verify the claim independently. Do not call back the number provided by the caller. Instead, find the official contact details for the relevant court yourself and contact the Clerk of Court’s office. Do not send money or provide personal or financial information during the call. The US courts also advise people to report suspected scams to the FTC.

A real court does not require you to pay a stranger over the phone to prevent an immediate arrest for missing jury duty. If someone uses that threat, treat it as a scam and verify the claim directly with the court.