Officials warn public about jury scams
Fairfax County Circuit Court officials are issuing an urgent warning to residents about a surge in jury duty scams.
In recent days community members have reported receiving phone calls, voicemails, and emails claiming they have missed jury duty, specifically for federal grand juries.
These messages falsely claim the recipients will be arrested if they do not respond immediately by clicking a link to “reschedule.” They are then told they need to transfer money to avoid arrest.
“The volume of calls we are receiving today has doubled, leading us to believe that this scam is spreading rapidly,” said a Circuit Court spokesperson on Oct. 24. “Fairfax Circuit Court will never ask for money or any type of monetary fees when re-scheduling jury duty. We urge everyone to remain vigilant and to verify any such communications they receive regarding jury duty.”
Officials urge the public not to respond to these calls. Avoid providing personal information over the phone or via email. Do not click links or open attachments from unknown sources.
If you have doubts about your jury duty status, contact the Fairfax Circuit Court’s Jury Department at 703-246-2292 or visit the jury duty website.
If you fell for this scam, file a report here.
Great article – thank you …I had an issue with a jury questionnaire I very recently received by mail – it looked a little suspicious because it asked for personal details that Fairfax should already know. I called the Jury Department and it was resolved; and great customer service.