The Trump administration reports consumers lost over $3.5 billion in 2025 to imposter scams.
And one of the fastest scams on the rise in Florida are jury duty scams.
Counties like Miami-Dade, Hillsborough and Pasco are reporting these types of scams are higher this year compared to last year.
These scams began to take shape in 2023, when then, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued a consumer alert warning Floridians that fraudsters were using fake computer-generated voices to call potential victims posing as a government official,
Herer’s how the scam works
An imposter will call a target about missing jury duty, then threaten the potential victim with jail time if a fine is not paid. The scam is so troubling because the scammer on the phone will threaten a victim with potential jail time if a fine is not paid.
In Florida, failing to report for jury duty are not grounds for immediate arrest, and court officials will never demand payment over the phone.
To avoid jury duty scams, Floridians should know that:
A jury duty summons will never be delivered over the phone; it will always come via mail. Also, officials will not call regarding a summons if a person did not receive a summons in the mail.
Court officials will not demand payment over the phone, nor ask that payment be wired or made through a gift card. A tell-tale sign of a jury scam is a caller aggressively demanding payment;
Caller IDs may be spoofed to appear to be coming from a law enforcement agency or other government entity, so be cautious of caller ID—even if it looks like a real source; and
The Florida Bar reminds Floridians to be cautious over the phone and remember that an authentic jury summons will only ever come in the mail from the United States Postal Service.
