Jury Scam ALERT! Scam Designed to Scare and Steal money from O.C. Residents

Orange County residents are being fraudulently targeted by telephone calls and emails, improperly threatening them with prosecution for failing to comply with jury service in federal or state courts. In the calls and emails, recipients are pressured to provide confidential data, potentially leading to identity theft and fraud. These calls and emails, which threaten recipients with fines and jail time if they do not comply, are fraudulent and are not connected to the court. Any telephone contact by real court officials do not include requests for social security numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive information.

Jury duty is a vital civic responsibility and should be taken seriously by all citizens. However, it is a crime for anyone to falsely represent himself or herself as a court official.

The Hon. Charles Margines, Presiding Judge of the Orange County Superior Court, urges citizens to not provide any information, especially personal identifying information such as their social security numbers or bank and credit card account numbers, in response to these illegal solicitations.

For additional information:

Judiciary Warns Public About “Jury Phone Scam”

Identity theft affects more than 10 million Americans every year. In one scam that keeps popping up across the country, thieves pose as court employees and gain personal financial information from their victims over the phone. Video produced by the US Courts. Watch related video

Frequently asked questions: http://www.courts.ca.gov/juryservice.htm