Los Angeles County Superior Court warns residents of a recent scam involving jury duty obligations. Scammers are calling individuals falsely claiming that they have not fulfilled their jury duty responsibilities and could face arrest.
According to the city news agency, the court stated that the callers will falsely claim that someone has not reported for jury duty as required and that an arrest warrant has been issued.
Officials urge residents to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls, emails, or text messages regarding jury duty, especially those threatening arrest, claiming arrest warrants have been issued, demanding immediate action, or requesting personal and financial information.
The court officials emphasized that the court will not threaten residents with arrest over the phone, via text, or email, nor will they require residents to immediately appear at the court or provide personal and financial information.
In a statement, the court stressed, “The court will never ask for your social security number, credit card information, or bank details over the phone or email.”
Officials advise residents not to provide personal, financial, or any identifiable information when receiving suspicious communications related to jury duty and not to follow instructions for payments provided by the caller.
Officials also warn against clicking on links in suspicious text messages or emails and not to reply to such messages. Even if the caller possesses certain personal information, it does not validate the legitimacy of their communication.
The court only sends notifications of jury duty to individuals who have explicitly opted to receive jury duty-related text alerts.
Residents can verify their jury duty status by visiting the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Juror Services website (
https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/juror-services
).
If individuals believe they are being targeted by a scam related to jury duty obligations, the court recommends reporting to local law enforcement or the Superior Court. In case of suspicious communications and scams, individuals can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
Let’s stay alert and cautious against fraudulent attempts and ensure the safety of personal information and compliance with legitimate judicial processes.