Fort Wayne, Ind. (WOWO) – A recurring phone scam is making its way around Allen County again.
The scam involves phone calls that claim the recipient has missed jury duty and now owes a fine as a result.
Several calls have been reported this week and the number comes from a 260 area code. Someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer informs the person that they have missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The scammer then tells the person that they must provide them with gift card numbers by phone in order to pay their fine.
For Allen County residents, all legitimate contact with prospective jurors is in writing, beginning with a postcard requesting information that will determine the eligibility for jury duty. Allen County also never requests bank or credit card numbers or any type of payment information.
Allen Superior Court Chief Judge Nancy Eshcoff Boyer said in a statement, “These calls do not originate from any legitimate source. These callers are criminals, plain and simple, trying to defraud people into believing they are in trouble when they are not. Prospective jurors who fail to respond to a legitimate summons have never – and will never – be pursued in such a manner.”
If anyone has any questions about jury duty service or questions about whether an unsolicited contact is legitimate, they can call the Allen Superior Court Jury Management Office at 260-449-7520 or 260-449-7022.
