Phone scam targets jury duty absconders
A nationwide identity theft scam is targeting citizens who may have neglected to fulfill their civic duties.
The Grant County Sheriff's Office is warning of a cam that involves a caller telling citizens a warrant has been issued for the their arrest because they failed to respond to a jury duty summons.
The caller requests Social Security numbers and birth dates to verify information.
“Give out your Social Security number and birth date, and bingo, your identity was just stolen,” Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones said in a prepared statement. “When in doubt, don’t reveal your personal information.”
Authorities called the scam "particularly insidious" because it uses intimidation by people pretending they are with the court system.
The fraud has not been reported in Grant County but has surfaced in at least 11 states, including Arizona.
The FBI and the federal court system are also warning about the scam.