Crime & Safety
Maryland Judge Warns of Jury Duty Telephone Scam
Scammers are reportedly calling Prince George's County residents to demand payment for not showing up for jury duty. Judges are warning that the calls are fake.
From a news release:
The Maryland Judiciary is warning the public about a telephone scam that falsely claims to be from Prince George’s County Circuit Court.
According to a release from the judiciary, the caller tells residents they have been charged with contempt for not reporting for jury duty. The scammer refers to a Prince George’s County Circuit judge by name, and demands payment over the phone using a pre-paid card.
“This is absolutely a scam. The court simply does not operate this way,” said Prince George’s County Circuit Judge Sheila R. Tillerson Adams, Circuit and County Administrative Judge. “The court would never call a citizen and attempt to enforce a fine or threaten contempt.”
Judge Adams said, “If there was an issue with jury service, the court would send a notice in the mail and require the citizen to appear in court. If a fine or penalty were to be assessed, the citizen would be advised by the judge in person in court.”
If you receive a phone call about jury service fines, hang up and disregard the call.
You can check your status as a juror or report any suspicious jury duty telephone calls to the Prince George’s County Circuit Court jury office, 301-952-4385.
More information about how to recognize, report, and prevent becoming a victim of telephone scams is available through the Federal Trade Commission website.
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