Scammers are now directing victims to realistic-looking websites that mimic government pages.
WASHINGTON — A popular scam that involves a phone call from the “police” claiming you’ve missed jury duty has a new twist, the Federal Trade Commission warns.
The scam starts with a phone call that appears to come from your local police department and the caller says you’ll be arrested unless you pay a fine for missing jury duty. But now, instead of asking for immediate payment over the phone, some scammers are directing victims to a fake government website.
According to the FTC, these sites look official and may include realistic seals, language and URLs to trick people into trusting them. Once there, victims are asked to input sensitive personal details like their birthdate or Social Security number to “look up” how much they supposedly owe. Some sites then demand payment, sometimes as much as $10,000, through cryptocurrency or “government kiosk,” which doesn’t exist.
The FTC says real law enforcement officials will never call to threaten arrest or demand payment. Scammers often use caller ID spoofing to make it look like the call is coming from a local agency.
If you receive a call like this, the FTC advises hanging up immediately and reporting the incident at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you’re unsure whether a jury duty issue is real, contact your local court directly using a verified phone number or website.
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