A recent increase in reports of schemes involving fake jury duty summons prompted Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to release the following advisory on how to avoid falling prey to scammers.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is releasing a new resource to help Floridians avoid falling victim. Scams at a Glance: Sham or Summons? highlights how jury duty scams work, tips to stay protected and what to do if targeted by a scammer.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “There has been a recent uptick in reports of jury duty scams, and I have heard personally from many Floridians who received calls from imposters posing as court officials claiming they missed jury duty and face fines or arrest. That is why we are releasing a new Scams at a Glance resource to help ensure Floridians know how to spot, avoid and report these schemes.”
Scams at a Glance: Sham or Summons? covers important information Floridians should know to avoid falling for a jury duty scam, such as:
- A court will always send jury summons through the mail—not by email, phone call or text message;
- Payment will never be demanded by a government office over the phone;
- A fine will never be imposed until after an individual appears in court to explain a failure to appear; and
- To never trust a solicitor demanding payment via gift card, money transfer apps or wire transfers.
For more tips and information, view Scams at a Glance: Sham or Summons? by clicking here.
To report jury duty scams, contact a local county clerk’s office using the Florida Court Clerks & Comptrollers website at FLClerks.com.
Scams at a Glance is an outreach program with information about common and emerging scams. The downloadable brochures are designed to teach consumers how to avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes. To learn more, click here.
