Jury Duty Phone Scam Alert:
In this phone scam, the caller claims to work for the county sheriff's office, or states they are a sergeant or court staff, and tells the person they did not report for jury duty and there is a bench warrant for their arrest. The scammer's phone number may appear legitimate because the caller has manipulated the number to appear to be from the sheriff's or court's telephone line.
The caller may demand payment over the phone through a mobile payment application such as Cash App® or Zelle®. The caller may ask the person to turn themselves in at the sheriff's office after visiting a grocery store, Walmart, or CVS to purchase a "money pack" – a type of prepaid credit card. The scammer may ask the person to dial a specific telephone number and provide the digits on the money pack for the payment to be made and the fine settled.
This phone call is a scam, hang up. Do not provide any information. Maryland Courts, Sheriff’s Offices, and Jury Offices do not call citizens to get payment over the phone for a fine for missing jury duty and they do not take payments through a machine for missing jury duty.