MORRISTOWN, NJ — Residents of Morris County, New Jersey should be wary of a scam claiming they are owed money for not having jury duty, authorities said.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office issued an alert Thursday, saying they have received two reports of the scam in the past two weeks.
Authorities say the suspects are posing as police officers or other law enforcement officers and claim a warrant was issued because the victim failed to appear before the grand jury. The scammers then aggressively ask them to pay a fine.
Scammers manipulate caller ID
In some cases, authorities say the suspects provide titles, badge numbers and even manipulate caller ID to make it appear as if the calls are coming from the district attorney’s and sheriff’s offices, as well as the Morris County courthouse.
The scammers often tell their victims not to notify anyone, claiming the calls must remain confidential or they will be arrested.
Authorities want to remind people that legitimate entities will not ask for card information, cryptocurrency or money transfers. People should be suspicious of phone calls or text messages demanding immediate payments or fines.
Contact the Morris County Sheriff’s Office to report suspicious calls at 973-285-6600 during the day or 973-285-2900 after hours.
Jury service in New Jersey
Residents who don’t comply with jury duty could be asked to show why they weren’t following the rules and could face a $1,000 fine or three days in jail, according to the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.
You can request to reschedule your performance or be excused based on 10 categories, such as certain age groups or professions.
Learn more facts about serving jurors in New Jersey here.
