If someone calls you about a fine for a missed jury duty summons, stay alert. The phone call is likely part of a jury duty scam to get you to pay a false fine and steal your money or personal information.

Jury duty scams can target everyone, especially older and senior adults. In North Carolina counties, there is an increase in jury duty scams, according to the Office of the North Carolina Attorney General.

Use the 4 truths to help protect yourself

Scenario: They claim you missed jury duty In a jury duty scam, a person will call your phone and pretend to be a court official, deputy or staff from local law enforcement. They will say you “failed to appear,” or missed, a jury duty summons.

Truth: Legitimate law enforcement officers and courts will never call or email you about missing jury duty or demanding immediate payment because you missed jury duty.

Scenario: They know some information about you The caller may claim you owe a fine for missing jury duty and are in contempt of court. They may also share somewhat personal information like your address or spouse’s name to sound more convincing.

Truth: Do not be fooled by the shared personal information. Your address and other information about you can often be found in public records. Scammers use public information to sound more legitimate and convincing to trick you.

Scenario: They will ask for additional personal/financial information The scammer may ask you to verify your identity by providing your birthdate, Social Security number, credit card number, and other personal information.

Truth: Stay alert and never provide any personal or financial information to anyone over the phone, in email, or text. Legitimate companies and organizations will provide secure ways for you to share sensitive information. Before providing personal or financial details, verify the website or portal independently to make sure it is legitimate.

Scenario: They threaten you with arrest The scammer may threaten your arrest if you do not pay the supposed fine.

Truth: A legitimate law enforcement agency or court will never call you and demand payment of a fine to avoid arrest.

What to do if you receive a jury duty scam call

Hang up immediately if you get a call about jury duty. Do not share your personal or financial information. Then, look up and call your local court or law enforcement office directly to report the call you received.

Remember, scammers want you to act quickly before you have time to think. Take a moment to verify the information independently; never allow threats or urgency to pressure you into sharing information or making a payment.

If you accidentally give any Civic account or payment information to a scammer, call the Civic Fraud team immediately at 844-772-4842.

Stay alert and protect yourself from phone scammers. Always hang up!